38 THE POLICY OF THE PLOUGH 



to 1880 — came round within a few years. There was 

 no desire to help the Agrarian party, but for reasons 

 of national pohcy and health the people were con- 

 verted to the opinion that agriculture must be saved. 

 Having come to that determination they approved 

 the policy which culminated in the high tariff of 1902, 

 and have never since looked back. They felt that 

 intensive farming was necessary for the Fatherland to 

 become self-supporting in its food supply, and beheved 

 that the farmers would not risk their money without 

 real security. 



From that time the position of the German farmer 

 has been established. His credit is excellent because 

 he is an important element in the Gterman system. 

 He can go ahead without a shadow of anxiety that he 

 will be the victim of chance or of political caprice. 

 As Mr. Middleton says : 



" The main value of the tariff policy to German 

 agriculture was the sense of security which it created 

 in the farmer. It was the conviction that he was 

 essential to the community, and that the community 

 would not permit his land to go out of cultivation, 

 rather than the prospect of receiving an extra two 

 marks per 100 kilos for his wheat after the year 1906 

 that stirred the German agriculturist of the new 

 century to make an effort : and, it may be added, it 

 was the knowledge that his grain was not wanted and 

 that his fellow countrymen did not depend upon his 

 exertions that led the British farmer, at this same 

 period, to cut down expenses and reduce, or at least 

 fail to increase, the productivity of his land." 



The British farmer, as has been said, is still haunted 

 by the fear of a cycle of bad seasons coinciding with 



