go AGRICULTURAL ORGANISATION 



most striking movement in the world of agriculture which 

 has taken place in our time." 



About two months earlier the Lancashire Federation of 

 Farmers' Associations had suggested to the Central Chamber 

 of Agriculture that a national conference should be held in 

 London to consider the subject of the then seriously depressed 

 condition of agriculture. The Central Chamber sent out a 

 circular on the subject to its affiliated organisations, and 

 " never did an idea catch on," The Times further declared, 

 " with greater spontaneity ; never did a movement of the 

 kind take such wide and general root in so short a time." 

 An organising committee was formed, of which Mr. R. H. 

 Rew, who was then associated with the Central Chamber, 

 was appointed secretary, and the conference was held, on 

 the dates mentioned, " (i) to direct public attention to the 

 present grave conditions of agricultural affairs, and (2) to 

 ventilate the grievances under which agriculture labours, 

 and to consider suggestions for their removal." No fewer 

 than 240 societies, clubs or organisations interested in 

 agriculture, directly or indirectly, sent representatives ; 

 peers, M.P.'s and great landowners, either as delegates or 

 because of their occupying distinguished positions in the 

 agricultural world, attended to take part with farmers and 

 agricultural labourers in considering how a national problem 

 could best be solved ; and a gathering of about 2,000 persons 

 would have been larger still if more could have been 

 accommodated. 



Various remedies for the " sore straits " into which, in 

 the view of the conference, agriculture had fallen were 

 urged, these remedies including currency reform, relief in 

 regard to taxation, changes in land tenure, etc. ; but a 

 resort to Protection, in order to counteract foreign compe- 

 tition, was the proposal that evoked the greatest degree of 

 enthusiasm. A resolution in favour of imposing on foreign 

 imports " a duty not less than the rates and taxes levied 

 on home production " was met by an amendment, proposed 

 by Mr. Bear, and seconded by Mr. Yerburgh, M.P., declaring 

 that, as it was of paramount importance that the agricultural 



