HOMES AND WAGES 155 



heal a special malady in the body politic, and 

 the electorate supports this programme by their 

 votes, little more remains to be said. Some- 

 times majorities are willing to suffer. More- 

 over it is too late in the day for any political 

 party to denounce the policy of ad hoc subsidies 

 as such. If a declining population and the 

 removal of the small garrison produces a 

 depressing effect on the local trade of St. 

 Helena, the British taxpayer helps to make 

 good the loss. British taxes are drawn upon to 

 provide the salary of an agricultural lecturer 

 in the Barbadoes. More than 60,000 

 a year is bestowed upon Uganda, and other 

 subsidies are lavished freely on the mining 

 and cotton growing in Nigeria. Five millions 

 of British money were sunk in the railway to 

 Nairobi ; three millions have been advanced 

 to assist cotton-growers in the Sudan. Nor 

 need we travel so far. The history of our 

 financial relations with Ireland affords ample 

 precedent for the employment of the national 

 revenues for the benefit of a minority of the 

 population which is too poverty-stricken and 

 helpless to raise itself to a decent level of 

 existence. Nor is it probable that any serious 

 antagonism would be manifested towards a 

 scheme of subsidies for rural housing. The 

 relief afforded to the landowners and farmers 



