The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-04-09
FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.
EngIand-In Parliament.
AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.


EngIand-In Parliament.
AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.
Presenting petition from Northumberland,
signed by 400 persons, including most OF the
landed gentry, and petition from Worcester, each
complaining of the continued depression OF agricul
ture, Lord Redesdae reviewed the present situation
of affairs in protectionst sense, preliminary
to certain questions which he put to Lord Lans
downe.
Throughout the country there has been reduc-
ton of wages. Not fewer than 10000 900 of the
people have suffered a reduction OF Is week In
their wages-a total loss of 81, 0O0.0OO. in their
annual income. Mr.. Villiers had made an extraor-
binary statement that 90,000,000l year is saved
by the lowered price of corn since the corn-laws
were repealed. But he has taken famine prices as
his basis. fair estimate shows reduction in
price of but 80 900 000 40, DOC, 00l This leaves
a large balance of loss from the reduced wages of
labor. The aborer is told he must buy cheap and
sell dear: but the laborer has always to begin by
selling; yet every thing is done to make his mar
ket, the labor market, cheap and overstocked
one. The grower of corn is a manufacturer, as
much as the maker Of cloth; and 30 even is the
pasture farmer master manufacturer; but there
is this difference between both and the worker OF
cotton that they cannot check their rate of produc
ton, stop operations, and work short time, when
there occurs gut, without bringing their aborers
on themselves for support. Whenever there was
an extraordinary glut, the corn laws restricted
foreign importations till the glut was cleared OF.
The pervading agricultural distress will spread TO
all other classes, when the tradesmen lose the GUS
of their best friends the landlords and farmers
Of Great Britain.
He asked Lord Lansdowne to state his opinion
on the causes and probable continuance of the ag
rcuural Distress on our prospects as TO the future
price Of corn and the possibility oil farming 70
profit and whether there is any hope OF legisla-
tive change to realize an improvement otherwise TO
be despaired Of!
The Marquis of Lansdowne recollected that if
there is one subject which all persons have sim
gulary failed in their prophecies II has been the
price Of corn and the of cultvating il, in this
country. He therefore declined to name proba-
| bic future price.
Al the close of lS4s the stock Of corn 1884,
600 ouarters-the present stock is but 242 OBS quar-
tiers; in February, ls49, the importation was 1884,
| 900 quarters-in the last February, but le4,Voo
quarters; in March, 1919, the importation 623,-
doc quarters-in the present March, the importation
is likely fall short of the import for the past
February So that the stock is nearly exhausted,
and the importatons still falling. The stock is
similarly diminished on the Continent; and in
France and Belgium there is the same coincidence
Of exhausted stock and low price; although in
France protection is in full force. The depression
is therefore due TO other causes than glut-to dis
turbed times, which check consumption and damp
mercantile enterprise, combined in this country
with the moral effect on the holders of good har-
At all events, il is certain that the change in
the law has greatly increased the consumptive
powers OF the country; information he possessed
the subject led him TO believe that in the particular
places where wages have been most lowered, there
ing the poor classes a whole, there never has
been n time when their consumption Of wheat rose
90 high as Il is now. The consumption Of the peo-
pie OF England has increased, is increasing, and
will continue 70 increase, till its beneficial effects
will be felt in every part OF the country; and
though the exact period when every interest will
necessarily be in prosperous condition may not
be oretod yet the progress Of the nation is not to-
wards poverty but towards wealth.
The Earl OF Malmesbury rebutted the assertion
that stocks are low; asking what is the state Of
stocks in the farmers yardsl and he quoted let
ters from Wiltshire showing that wheat Is cheaper
by 80 per cent; that wages 20 per cent worse,
inferior men getting but four shllings week; that
the deposites in the savings banks are E3 900
year less, and that the paupers in the workhouse
are more numerous than they were this time last
year.
The sufferings Of the agricultural interest have
been aggravated by the language used towards II
by a man regarded as the champion Of the Man
chester school. 'The language of that man has
been that the people eaten up by the rents Of
land owners; that the object Of the repeal Of the
corn laws TO lower rents, that the poor man
might have bread cheap, and be saved from the
hands Of a grasping aristocracy" Indeed, from
the language Of the gentlemen Of the Manchester
school, Il is plain they think that the 200 900 small
farmers must go. The prosperity OF the CONNER
cial towns is not due 10 cheap corn--corn was
cheaper in ls35but TO the increase Of our exports.
Earl Grey held, that the unexamplcd prosperity
Of commerce and manufactures is proof that orr
'sexperiment has been most successfully" pointing
think otherwise TO take the opinion Of Parliament
as TO whether or not the admitted and deplored
agricultural distress IL due 10 that experiment, and
might be remcdicd by rctracing our steps; and he
showed that in reference TO gut, the action OF free
trade has the most obvious tendency TO diminish
the evil, by promoting an equal and continuous
supply.
WOOD USED IN SHIP BUiLDISo-DRAwBAcK.
Mr.. Mitchell supported his motion-"that this
House do resolve into a committee TO take into
consideration the duties on wood, with the view Of
renting the duty on all wood used in ship build
ing''-by very copious and clearly arranged Stats
tics, showing the Incidence Of the present duty
the various classes Of British shipping, and the
amount Of the revenue that government would sac
ri6ce in foregoing the duty.
The duty presses with inequality varying
from the trhing burden of 9l6ths per cent. on first
class ships, such arc made by Green, Wigrsm,
and Smith Of Newcastle, for the Indian and China
trade, 20 no less than II per cent the lowest
class Of ships built for the Canadian trade. The
whole sacrifice Of duty would be a sum Of about
f3s 900 year
Mr.. Mitchell urged the injustice Of maintaining
the tax on the raw materials Of pbuilding, while
the duty on foreign shps-the manufactured srti-
cle-is now entirely taken Oft and he pointed 10 the
fact that timber. which, before Sir Robert Pccls low
ering Of the duty by COS per load, he sold at loss.
per load, he now sells at 6bs. per load The Gus
toner gets the whole reduction In that instance,
and he would srniarlv get the whole beneft of the