116 BRITAIN FOR THE BRITON 



has been made in these countries, but ive can also point to 

 enormous commercial and industrial expansion. Considerable 

 expansion has, in fact, been experienced during the last few 

 years in practically all the great trading States of the world, 

 and, per se, this is neither remarkable nor significant. 



There are, however, certain factors in the position which ai^e 

 of remarkable significance, and we must not ignore them if we 

 are determined to sift this matter to the bottom. 



Industrial expansion in Germany and the United States is 

 not attended by permanently congested labour markets and 

 consequent permanent unemployment, because such a condition 

 would he impossible in those countries to-day. 



In both Germany and the United States, industries are 

 united to agriculture, and each assists the other. In Germany, 

 for example, we find from "The Statesman's Year Book, 1906," 

 that her farms supported 18,066,663 persons, of whom 8,156,045 

 were actually working upon them. 



The land industry provides for eighteen millions of the popu- 

 lation, and the rest is simple enough. Agriculture, in short, 

 draws away so many workers that all other viidustries find, it 

 difficult to obtain the necessary supiply of labour. 



In these countries, as in all other countries of the world, 

 agriculture is the chief industry, and all others are subsidiary 

 to it. 



In our country the land is not so regarded ; agriculture 

 and manufactures are not allied, but divorced. They are not 

 sister industries helping each other by natural afiinities, but 

 living apart and working independently of each other. There 

 is no bond of sympathy and strength between them, and 

 because there is no unity the nation suffers. 



We are the only people in the world who have attempted 

 to make manufactures rank first in the national industries and 

 placed agriculture as of secondary importance in tlie economy of 

 life. Ours is the only country in the world that has attempted 

 to alter the course of a natural Law by making the great Land 

 Industey subservient to minor industries. 



That we have signally failed, as we deserved to fail, needs 

 no further proof than is afforded by the many signs of the 

 times, which are manifest enough even to the most casual 

 observer. 



Ours is a nation that stands apart from all others, in that 

 we have been infatuated enough to believe that we should find 

 universal riches and prosperity in Cobden's singularly bold idea 

 that we should become the lords of manufacture, and that we 

 could live and become great on these alone. 



Jlichard Cobden's was truly a lofty ideal, but only an ideal. 



