The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-23
BRITISH AND AMERICAN AGRICULTURE

BRITISH AND AMERICAN AGRICULTURE
Heretofore, and until quite recently,
all the ideas and calculations of political
economists bearing upon foreign trade
were predicated almost entirely upon
manufactured commodities. The policy
of England towards this country, even
from its colonial times, was directed to
the suppression of manufactures. Lord
Chatham, when Prime Minister avowed
that, if he could have his way, america
should not manufacture even hob-naiI." ."
The motive of this policy was to hold
America as a market for British manu-
features, while Americans should pro-
duce food material for the British people
whenever British agriculture should be
found insufficient to supply the demand.
When this policy was avowed by Eng
land, no thought was taken of America
ever becoming rival of England's man
ufactures in the open markets of the
world. Such an occurrence would then
have been secuted as an impossibiity:
and the great aim was simply to keep
America from manufacturing to the ex-
tent of supplying her own domestic
wants. And yet, the time has come
when American manufactures are jost-
ling and crowding those of England in
all the markets of the world, not except
ing even the home markets of England
herself. 1t is on this account that pOlit-
ical economy has hitherto been busies'
with the problems arising out Of the
export and import of manufactured com,
modities.
But now has come to pass an addl'
tional factor in international commerce;
and that factor is the immense trade
with foreign countries in our agricul
tural food products. If, in l77O, it had
not occurred to British statesmen to sup
nose that America could, by any posi-
bility, ever become rival of England il
manufactures, much less could it ther
have been deemed possible that Amer
lean agriculture could ever become a ri
val of British agriculture in furnishing
food supplies to the people of the British
Isles. And yet, what would in l77C
have been deemed an impossibility, had
in 1870, become an actual occurrence
So that to-day American agriculture i
sharply competing with British agricul
ture in furnishing food for the Britisl
tables.
OF course the statesmen of centur,
ago could have had no conception Of tn
changed conditions of transit and trans
portation that have occurred since
whereby the ocean, then so formidable
has become but larger ferry betweel
the two continents. Little could Lor
Chatham have imagined that fresh mea
from America would ever be served u
in London cheaper and better tina
British beef; or that butter and chees
and live animals fattened and read y 70
British butchers would ever cross tina
wide ocean to compete with the product
nj BRUSH udlTleS duu paSGuiSS' H"V 'u''
has now become an established CONNIE
eial fact-a fact which, is already film
British agriculturists with alarm.
So seriously has this matter taken hol
upon the public mind of England that
Royal Commission has been moved f(
in Parliament to inquire into the caus'
of the present depression in the agrlcu
tural industries of the United Kingdom
In the course of the debate on this M
tion many important, and some eve
startling, exhibits of facts were presen
ed. Among other things, it was ell
phatically declared that, if it were four
that the present depression of prices
produced by causes that are permanen
it must lead to the entire cessation
bread and meat production by the agl
culture of that country.
1t had always been considered that IL
intervening ocean must needs give
British agriculture the control of its oN
food markets, by reason OF the cost, rls
and time incident to transportation