209 







farmers \\ill !><> amply compensated for the i-Mau^es in 

 .cultivation, the replacing j>f stock, the des:truet -on of 

 the meadow lands, their inversions in inwhiuery. e 



it was evidently foreseen the\ would possibly ha ve- 

 to reiionnee eereal irrowing later on localise of foreign 

 competitors. 



As we 'have seen by the repeated assurances Driven 

 in the House of Commons, there is no question of any 

 attempt being; made to exclude foreign grown wheat, 

 and these premiums on home grown produce are not 

 to be maintained as ^a system of. taxation on foreign im- 

 ports . 



CORN LAWS. 



Much has been made out of the possibility of Eng- 

 land adopting another policy, favouring home produc- 

 tion against imports, or what is equivalent, the re- 

 enacting of the famous Corn Laws. 



There is certainly no reason why the attempt 

 should not be made: it has been done before, but with- 

 out success. If we study the history of all the various 

 wars England has been engaged in we see that this 

 question of favouring home farmers has cropped up re- 

 gularly. 



THE TAXATION OF IMPORTS ON 

 GRAIN IN EUROPE. 



All countries except England have recognised the 

 equity of helping home produce against foreign im- 

 ports : 



All countries have sought to secure prosper icy to 

 their own farmers, at the cost of all the inhabitants 

 of the country, by making them pay slightly higher 

 prices for the articles of food, but offering in exchange 

 the security of being relatively independent of outsid- 

 ers in times of war. 



Personal security has weighed in counselling the 

 adoption of tariffs against foreign importations of 

 foodstuffs. The prosperity in Europe of farming ce- 

 reals depends on the prohibition of cheaper grown for- 

 eign cereals. 



Whether in the light of recent experiences this 

 policy will be persisted in we cannot tell, but there are 

 signs that despite its relative failure during the war 

 it is still the corner stone of the greater part cf the 

 political programmes of most European countries 



