— 53 — 



"The charge for interest on capital, which is estimated at 100 000 Lire, 

 ought to be placed at not less than 2 400 000 Lire, representing 6°/o on 

 8 000 000 Lire for six months every year. 



"The grand total of expenses and interest charges therefore would amount 

 to 540 000 Lire, which, deducted from the gross profit of 1 225 000 Lire, 

 would leave a net profit of 685000 Lire, instead of the 1650 000 Lire esti- 

 mated in the draft-scheme. And taking into account that this profit is to 

 be used in order to depreciate the stocks left over at the end of every 

 season, we may ask what there will be left to constitute the exaggerated 

 capital that is to benefit our "dear native land" ? This "dear native land", 

 in the words of the originators of the monopoly scheme, included the 

 properties of all without exception who are interested in raising the fruit 

 used in the preparation of Sicilian essential oils. 



"But, even assuming that the monopolisation of the essential oil trade 

 would prove to be a gain to the proprietors of fruit orchards, which we 

 very much doubt, would it be just to exclude the entire community of 

 middlemen and exporters? Have these classes, who for many years have 

 laid the whole of the trade under a debt by their industry and personal 

 sacrifice, not also a right to live? 



"Have they not also the right to oppose the suggested innovation 

 and to guard their own interests? 



"And the city of Messina, which, ever since the birth of the essential 

 oil industry, has alone exported two-thirds of the total production (as is 

 shown by the annexed table), would she not also be justified in answering 

 by violence if this violation of her interests were to be sanctioned by the 

 Government ? 



"Messina has allowed the monopoly of the citrate of lime trade to 

 be fastened upon her, but she will not suffer any new attack upon her 

 interests, an attack of which the consequences might be the ruin of the 

 essential oil industry and possibly of her own economic rejuvenescence. 

 But we may well disregard the moral aspect of the question, since there 

 are more than enough evidences of fact and of political economy to prove 

 that an essential oil monopoly would be attended with far greater 

 misfortunes than that of citrate of lime. It is no secret that in the present 

 times of increasing production, coupled with stationary consumption, it is 

 necessary at the end of every business year to carry over into the new 

 season a stock of old oil, and this notwithstanding the fact that there is 

 no restriction upon the trade in such oils and that hitherto the prices 

 have been regulated by the law of supply and demand. 



"What would be the result of the suppression of freedom of trade 

 in these articles, of which the values depend upon so many causes 

 which it is impossible to foresee? 



"The world's consumption appears to show no tendency towards 

 expansion, but the production, unfortunately, is increasing from year to 



