22 OUR ENGLISH LAND MUDDLE. 



argue down his sophistries ; be content, indeed, 

 sometimes to accept and to make the best of 

 conditions which are imposed at his instance, 

 and only can be proved to be mischievous 

 after trial. Nay, indeed, hardest task of all, 

 they must be prepared occasionally to admit that 

 some " wild idea " of some " gas-bag politician ' : 

 has proved in the ultimate result beneficial 

 when viewed in the broadest national sense. 



Admit that the use of a nation's land is in a 

 special and peculiar sense a political as well as 

 an industrial question, and the land reformer, 

 be he sound physician or quack, will be met on 

 a different basis, and to some extent the quack 

 will be disarmed for mischief. Sometimes, per- 

 haps, an idea which has a strong backing of 

 sentiment, but comes under a certain degree of 

 suspicion if considered merely from the point 

 of view of economics or of practical cultivation, 

 can be wisely accepted because the political gain 

 — a gain in national contentment — is greater 

 than any possible economic loss. An example 

 to illustrate my meaning will occur at once — 

 the question of " closer settlement." If the 

 position were — I do not say for the moment 



