G4 AGRICULTURE AND TARIFF REFORM. 



It is perfectly true that " under 30 years of 

 exceptionally strong ' protection ' food was dear, 

 and that at the same time the farming classes 

 complained frequently and bitterly." Why? 

 Y/ould it not be more becoming to state the rea- 

 son? "We will do so. Food was " dear " because 

 rents were high; and the farming classes "com- 

 plained " owing to the fact that vdiilst they had 

 to pay large rents on the basis of corn being kept 

 up at a high figure by Act of Parliament, the 

 seasons sometimes proved inauspicious, and rents 

 had still to be paid. Aloreorer, as Cobden 

 declared, tenants were unable to obtain " leases " 

 for any lengthened period; and consequently, if 

 they began to do well, up went rents. Is there, 

 however, a man in his senses v.-ho thinks this 

 possible to-day? Y\]io in Cobden's time had tlie 

 political power? Was it not the landlords; and 

 did not Cobden, over and over again, expressly 

 state so? Who has it now? Is it not the lab- 

 ourers and artisans? And does not political 

 power carry with it the ability to secure v/hat- 

 ever laws the possessors of the political power 

 may desire? Of course it does, and nobody 

 recognised that fact more than Mr. Cobden him- 

 self ; for he was insistent upon it in practically 

 every speech that he made of an agricultural 

 character. And yet Mr. Arniitage-Smith quietly 

 ignores the diuerence between then and now in 

 this all-important matter ! 



We are told that from 1S4G " there have been 

 but two enquiries into agricultural depression." 



