372 BRITAIN FOR THE BRlTON 



theii' own advantage. After the lapse of more thau half a 

 century of bitter experience and grievous results, it is found 

 that this " Economic Science " is not only fundamentally wrong, 

 but, what is woi'se, has actually been made the tool and 

 plaything of a powerful party — the Manchester School — 

 which is politically and tinancially interested, or fancies it is, 

 in sacrificing agriculture to manufactures. 



This incident serves as an example of human gullibility, 

 of the danger of too readily accepting the teachings of '• Science," 

 and the ]\Iachiavelianism of political parties. It also furnishes 

 an excellent illustration of how easily men may arrogate to 

 themselves, and take unwarrantable liberties with, many things 

 in life, unless checked and exposed. We see this in The 

 Undue Assumption of Supekioeity by Fkek-traders, referred 

 to in Chapters II. and III., and not the least mischief of the 

 situation is, that owing to sixty years of arrogant licence, every 

 Free-trader, and many others besides, really believe that such 

 blessings and benelits as arc to-day enjoyed by the British 

 ]ieople are the actual result of Free-trade. It is said tliat 

 "A lie oft repeated bears the semblance of truth," and this 

 old saw loses none of its force in its present application. Free- 

 traders have had a long innings and have played their game 

 with vigour and boldness. With the audacity born of sixty 

 years of unbridled licence, they affirm that every stride in 

 national progress made by the British people, in scientific in- 

 vention and mechanical application, in arts, manufactures, 

 trades, literature, learning, hygiene, food, music, lighting, 

 housing, and sanitation ; the electric telegraph, and the penny 

 post ; cheap and abundant newspapers, and the thousand and 

 one benefits arising out of the natural progression of the 

 liuman race owing to the numerous civilising iniluences of the 

 List fifty years or so, are due to FjiEE-TPtAUE.* They con- 

 veniently ignore the fact that similar benefits and advantages 

 have been shared in and enjoyed by every civilised nation 

 in Europe, and in the world, and that in many of them the 

 relative 'progress has been greater than in our own. But when 

 they gravely affirm, or insidiously imply, that even our games 

 and sports — football, cricket, and the rest of them — are also 

 due to that much-belauded economic condition, then it becomes 

 evident that Free-traders have been too lonc^ at the wickets 

 and should be taken off, as they have entirely " lost their 

 heads." 



* See Chapter VII., " The Frco-tradc Movement." 



