V 



BY E. M. JOHNSTON, F.L.S. 5 



apprentices. Even in our own trade we had as young men 

 to spend three or four years as apprentices, partly or wholly 

 supported the while by our parents. Now we have no such 

 help. On the contrary, we are each burdened with the 

 support of a family. Even if we could manage for ourselves, 

 what is to become of our families in the meantime ? 



Theorist. — I admit this difficulty, but is there not plenty 

 of work open to you in this country, where you could turn 

 your labour to account where no special skill is required, or, 

 at any rate, where bone and muscle is all that is necessary. 



Shoemaker. — True, in time some of us might obtain work 

 as labourers in the field among farmers, or on public works 

 or mines ; but the failure in our own industry, in such a 

 thinly populated country, causes a depression in nearly all 

 local 'occupations ; for it must be admitted a considerable 

 portion of the products of other trades and industries have 

 been directly affected by our distress and lessened consumption 

 due to our lack of purchasing power. Besides, I have been 

 told by farmers that they have themselves long struggled 

 with adverse circumstancesin competing against more favoured 

 agriculturists in America — who are able to sell in European 

 markets — our only customers — at prices which tend to become 

 lower year by year, and if a local market is not soon 

 established, many of them will have to give in. If other 

 trades in turn are crushed by foreign competition as we have 

 been, what hope have the farmers of holding on, let alone the 

 outlook for their own children, where every branch of industry 

 seems to be already overstocked, even in this rich and 

 extensive country, with a sparse population. In addition to 

 what I have stated, I am informed by those who have given 

 much attention to agriculture, that there is only a limited 

 amount of land whereon agriculture might be successfully 

 carried on, but this form of industry will not admit of the 

 employment of more than 35 persons to the square mile of 

 land in cultivation ; and if this be so, and if farmers cannot 

 exchange products of the same kind with each other, how can 

 a local market become a possibility in the absence of a local 

 community of trades and manufactures ? 



Theorist. — I admit that the home-trader and home- 

 workman may temporarily suffer loss from the competition of 

 foreign traders and workmen in the same branch of 

 industry ; but it must be remembered that everything will again 

 be adjusted, because capital is constantly exerting a 

 tendency to smoothe down any temporary inequality in the 

 profits of different trades. Even if you suffer from foreign 

 importations the Government is not bound to protect you : 

 for there can be no right which has a juster claim than that 

 every individual of the community should be freely permitted 



