84 AGRICTJLTURE AND TARIFF REFORM. 



price owing to higlier wages received by the 

 Britisli artisan. 



In the second place, let us take the case of the 

 average farmer. We have for very many years 

 travelled amongst the agricultural community, 

 and we say without any fear of well-informed 

 contradiction that the average outlay per annum 

 on new machinery does not come to more than 

 £10 to £20 at the most. The farmer may pur- 

 chase one of the latest and best swathe turners 

 for £15 15s., a mower or tedder for £16 and 

 £13 13s. respectively, a horse rake for £15 10s., 

 a cultivator from £12 to £15, a corn mill for 

 £16, a manure distributor for £20, a drill from 

 £3 to £10, a self-binder for £40, a cream 

 separator for £20, or less, and a few other 

 articles. We have taken these prices as being 

 the cost of the latest and most improved 

 implements exhibited at the last show of the 

 Eoyal Agricultural Society, and they may be 

 accepted, therefore, as being accurate. When a 

 farmer wants one or other of these articles, 

 will a 10 per cent, duty upon it kill or 

 "cripple" him? The question is too ridiculous 

 for serious consideration ! Suppose, however, 

 he spent, what not one farmer nowadays 

 does in a thousand, namely, £500 on new 

 machinery on taking to a farm, and suppose, 

 further, every bit of it was American or 

 foreign, or that, if English, it was increased by 

 an average 10 per cent, duty, which Mr. Chamber- 

 lain proposes to put on the corresponding " im- 

 ported " manufactured goods. This extra cost 



