CHAPTER X 



SOME OTHER REMEDIES 



1. Protection 



FOR many years before Mr. Chamberlain's 

 historic crusade of 1903, the restoration of 

 protective duties on agricultural produce 

 imported into Great Britain had been proposed 

 by the advocates of " Fair Trade " as a 

 sovereign remedy for the evils of British 

 agriculture. In more recent years public 

 attention has been called to this policy through 

 a series of general elections, and there can be 

 little doubt that sooner or later when a 

 Conservative majority is placed in power by 

 the electorate some attempt will be made to 

 impose certa.'n taxes on the corn, meat and 

 dairy produce which reach our shores from 

 foreign and, perhaps, colonial ports. 1 



1 The Tariff Reform Commission proposes (apart from 

 duties on manufactured imports) 2s. a quarter on foreign 

 and Is. on colonial wheat ; " equivalent duties " on other 

 grain, both foreign and colonial ; Is. 3d. a cwt. on foreign 

 flour and meal, an average 5 per cent, on meat (bacon not 



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