298 BRITAIN FOR THE BRITON 



interests of the commonweal that not a penny of the public 

 revenues should come from taxes on the people's food, it would 

 be quite an intelligible platform — among others — for the Free- 

 trade party to stand upon. 



Government Fiiee-teade PumcirLES not Clearly Defined 



They do not, however, appear to make a strong point of 

 this in their electioneering campaigns ; indeed, it seems to be 

 kept pretty much in the background. That there is no indica- 

 tion that the Free-trade party intend to make the abolition 

 of all existing duties on imported food-stuffs the strongest 

 plank in then- political rostrum at the next general election, 

 would seem to point to one of two things, namely, that they 

 regard this source of revenue as a perfectly legitimate one in 

 spite of their many avowals to the contrary, or they have 

 good reason to believe that, once these easily garnered millions 

 were surrendered for a sentimental reason, they might experi- 

 ence exceeding great difficulty in recouping themselves in other 

 directions. They may have conceived the idea that, even in 

 these days of truckling under to the working man and playing 

 up to him on every possible occasion for his political influence, 

 the abolition of these duties and the transference to the so- 

 called " classes " of taxes to a similar amount, would not be 

 altogether a popular measure, and they possibly shrink from a 

 position which they hold to be charged with potential dangers. 



If they are uninfluenced by either of tliese motives, but 

 feel constrained, for other reasons, to continue drawing a 

 considerable portion of their revenues from imposts on imported 

 foods, then, whatever these reasons may be, it is clear that 

 although — for purely ijoliticcd purposes — it suits the party to 

 champion the cause, they have no mind to sacrifice party 

 interests to the rigid principles of Free-trade. 



Free-trade Government sacrifices Principles to Pockets 



While the Free-trade party are, therefore, prepared to 

 espouse the cause, they practically admit that the Free-trade 

 principles, although excellent in theory, will not stand the 

 rough and tumble of everyday life. 



Silk breeches and kid gloves may be very pretty and 

 becoming, but good honest homespun and a stout pair of 

 leather gauntlets are better able to resist tlie hard wear and 

 tear of life, and enable us to grapple with those thorns which 

 cro]j up so often in our journey through this world. 



To put it briefly, Governments, no more than individuals, 



