18 BRITAIN FOR THE BRITON 



luaintained as tlie chief industry, the curse of poverty and un- 

 employment could not possibly have overtaken the country, 

 l)ecause the land would have drawn so many millions away as 

 would have left labour at a premium, instead of being, as at 

 present, at a discount, and a drug in the market. 



British System Imperfect 



It is, then, contended, with reasonable insistence, that this 

 must be the case, because all civilised countries in the world — 

 except our own — having arranged their economical systems on 

 this plan with uniform success, hoth in respect to labour and 

 fiscal questions, proves that the British system is by no means 

 the perfect thing it is said to be by its supporters. 



To give up the substance for the shadow is certainly 

 foolish, and to yield up a valuable asset in your life's affairs 

 without first ascertaining whether you are going to get a more 

 valuable one in return, is not sound business, but partakes of 

 either folly or gauibliug. 



Free-traders urge against what they term " Protectionists " 

 that they are narrow in their views where they should be broad 

 and tolerant, and that they defend their system rather upon 

 political than economical grounds. It is said that their policy 

 is either advocated to serve some particular existing industry ; 

 to launch into existence and foster some new industry which 

 may become a source of individual wealth — although such a 

 policy may involve consumers and tax-payers in loss — or that 

 it is held to be necessary on patriotic grounds so that the 

 country may become self-supporting in the event of war. 

 Both of these lines of defence are said by Free-traders to be 

 based upon imperfect observation of the many circumstances 

 surrounding this vast economical question, and that the 

 conclusions of the " Protectionists " are consequently fallacious 



Anti-Feee-traders Misrepresented 



These "Protectionists," while admitting the necessity of 

 making the country self-supporting against war, flatly deny 

 that they defend their position on such narrow, feeble lines, 

 and add that this mean, distorted view of their policy no more 

 represents the broad generous sweep of their propaganda, than 

 the single ray of sunshine that finds its way into the narrow 

 attic of the poor seamstress represents the vast streams of 

 light and heat poured forth with such prodigality by the sun. 



To the onlooker it seems as though Free-traders committed 

 a grave blunder in refusing to recognise the cardinal fact 



