The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-11
BRITISH AGRICULTURE.

In order TO maintain that protection is the
best policy for this country it is not neces-
saTy to deny that free trade is the best
policy for Great Britain az least, il not for
ireland. We are rising in our own manu-
features. Great Britain is at the apex of Its
ascendency ia this respect. We export vast
quantities of agricultural produce. and also
meat. both on the hoof and in the carcass.
We likewise send abroad enormous ship
ments of timed meats and fruits, and the
United Kingdom is a greedy absOrber Of
these shipments. At least half the food of
the United Kingdom has to be grown
abroad. We do our share In affordng a
supply. Without our assistance the popu-
lation of Great Britain would be perpetu-
ally in famine Not more than a tenth of
the population of England and Scotland Is
directly connected with agriculture, includ-
ing land owners, farmers, laborers and dairy
employees. The disparity Is lower in Ire
land, because the Green IsN is largely de-
pendent upon agriculture, save in the north.
IL is therefore obvious that differing poll
cies may give prosperity to different coun-
tries
That there is any probability of return
TO protection in Great Britain for agricul-
tural products Is utterly hopeless. Every
man has vote and soon every woman will
have a vote. What are the votes OF the
farmers and landowners compared with
those of their laborers and OF the swapping
swarm that follows innumerable Industries?
These complaints OF landowners and farm
ers are perennial. No better grumbler can
be found than the English farmer; yet conf
pare his lot to-day with what it was in
Smollett's time. The crying need in Eng
4 ~
more per quarter on wheat and $50 per
carcass on animals coming from abroad,
but Encouragement OF the relationships be-
tween landlord and tenant. The return to
protective duties on corn and animals wonld
be instantly followed by the raising of
rents. The landlord would benefit, and not
The farmer or the mass of the people; nor
could there be the smallest benefit TO the
American exporter of corn, wheat. hogs or
cattle. He would not get the enhanced
price in the English market, and the British
consumer would have to pay the duty
finally. Fat steers coming from America
are just as prime flesh as English steers,
but an impost of $40 or $50 per head would
enable the English farmer. and therefore
landlord. to secure an artificial price for
home-fed stock minus duty, as against
foreign stock plus duty.
The situation of tho English farmer is not
nearly go bad as IL is represented to be.
Bear 10 mind the universal tendency to
grumbling The farmer pays from s. to
81 30 per acre per year for his land. Ii is
clean land producing an average of thirty
or thirty-One bushels of wheat per acre and
correspondingly Of other crops. In some
rich valleys in Scotland as many as sixty
bushels per acre are obtained. but there the
rents are from SIS to $50. The landlord
provides the fences. the homestead resi-
dence and Offices. but takes his share in
draining expenses. He also assists in main
tanning roads. 4 landlord who has from
2 10 3 per cent for his land is eontented. In
a bad season he makes an abatement OF 10,
Is or 90 per cent in the rent BE
can take a low interest, for the
law gives him a preferential claim
for rent This preference restraints a
tenant from borrowing. Banks will not
lend too freely when they caunot get mort
gage. but a tenant can generally obtain
moderate accommodation at per cent.
The English farmer does not toll and mol
personally as do many OF the farmers of
America. He has a quiet country life.
without soilng his own fingers or those of
his sons and daughters. lie often follows
the hounds. and likes to be considered a
sportsman in the shooting OF hares and
rabbits What he does need is more free
dom in the working of his land. complete
compensation for all Improvement she makes
IN raising the fertility Of the soil. fu II
property in any orchard trees no plants,
and some modified right to remain on his
farm while he pays his rent Some of these
changes have arrived. and they will all
come in time. This is the true form Of pro-
lection for the British farmer. The mass
of the population will not endure a return
IN dear fnnd