CHAPTER XXI 



THE FALLACIES OF ECONOMIC SCIENCE — ITS INAPPLICA- 

 BILITY TO AGRICULTUEE 



The man who can convince the British people of the monstrous 

 error that it is more economical to allow their land to run to 

 waste because tliey can import their wheat a little cheaper 

 from foreign countries — which is as much a fallacy as was the 

 old belief that the earth was the pivot of the universe around 

 which moved the sun, and moon, and stars — will be a greater 

 benefactor to this countiy than those who gave to the world 

 steam and electricity. 



Man can do without these latter, but without agriculture he 

 cannot live. 



The Land is the source of all things that man enjoys on 

 earth : it furnishes him with light, heat, dwelling houses, 

 carriages, raiment, wine, oil, and Food. It is tlie fountain 

 of all wealth and the source of life itself. 



It is inexpedient that fallacies should exist in respect to any 

 of our life's affairs, but that a prodigious fallacy should cling to 

 the very industry from which springs the fountain of human 

 existence, is simply destructive. 



The Fundamental Ereor 



That this monstrous fallacy r/oes cling to our agriculture 

 is beyond question, and strangely enough the only part of this 

 great misconception which bears the semblance of truth is just 

 that part of it which furnishes economists with their base of 

 operations, namely, that if loheat can he inoduced clicaiKr ulyroad 

 it should not he grou-/i locally. But, admitting that it might and 

 can be imported slightly cheaper than we can grow it ourselves, 

 this surely cannot possibly sum up all the ^wos and cons of 

 the case, nor dispose of those numerous factors which must 

 necessarily radiate from so im])ortant a question v( political 

 economy as the one we are considering. 



205 



