The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-11-08 00:00:00

THE CHAMBERS OF AGRICULTURE.

Mr. H. Chaplin, M.P., presided on Tuesday at the
council meeting of the Central and Associated
Chambers of Agriculture, held at the Society of Arts,
Adelphi, London. In opening the proceedings, he
said he wished he could congratulate agriculturists
upon the position and condition of their interests.
They had had a good season sfter a long series of
bad ones; but they had not had a remunerative
harvest. The reason for that was because prices had
fallen to such an extent that it was almost without
precedent in the recollection of the council. It was
no exaggeration to say that with regard to the future
there was probably never a more serious or gloomy
outlook than now. (Hear, hear.) What was to be
the remedy for that state of things? They had a
most interesting and instructive debate on the question
only a few days ago in the House of Commons.
Nothing was more gratifying to him than to see bow
it was recognised that the great depression which
had existed for so long in trade was mainly
owing to the fact that agriculture had been so
long depressed. The general opinion expressed
in that debate appeared to be that the interests
of the two industries—of agriculture on the one hand
and trade upon the other—were so closely and so
intimately connected that whatever measures might
be considered for the relief of one must be taken in
connection with measures for the relief of the other.
It was unanimously agreed by the supporters of the
motion that the time had arrived for a complete and
exhaustive inquiry into the whole question of the
depression of trade at the present time. Unquestion-
ably, if the notion of putting a tax on corn was to be
dismissed, all inquiry was perfectly useless. In his
opinion, the inquiry which had been held had shown
that they were right in the views that they entertained
—mainly that the depression of trade was caused in
the main by the distress in agriculture, and that dis-
tress in agriculture was owing to foreign competition,
and the extremely low prices which were the result
of that competition. As long as that depression con-
tinued, there was no hope for agriculture; and he
was, therefore, unhesitatingly in favour of a tax upon
corn. (Cheers.)
Mr. James Lowther, M.P., observed that these was
no chance of obtaining justice for the agricultural
interest unless they went hand-in-hand with the
other trading interests. As suggested by previous
speakers some inquiry was necessary into the con-
dition and cause of agricultural distress, but the form
in which the inquiry should be made should now be
left an open question. The question whether they
were prepared to advocate a tax upon corn was one
for serious consideration, and should not be dismissed
because it was a difficult one. He would ask why
should there not be such a tax? If they did not
obtain one, it would be because of their timidity.
(Hear, hear).
Mr.Muntz, M.P., urged that the sympathy of the
masses of the industrial manufacturing communities
should be secured. -

Mr. Turner (West Suffolk) next called attention to
the operation of restrictive tariffs of foreign nations
unon British agriculture, especially with reference to
the injurious effects of the bounty system upon the
beet-sugar industry and moved: "That this Council
is of opinion that agriculture as well as trade is
suffering from the hostile tariffs and fiscal arrange-
ments of foreign countries, and urgently presses upon
her Majesty's Government to take immediate action
to nut our foreign trade upon a fairer footing."
A long discussion followed, in the course of which'
Colonel Paget, M.P., moved the previous question,
sayint.,* that the whole question of the depression of
trade, and agriculture would be considered at their
noNt tneet,ing.
The motion of Mr. Turner was then withdrawn.