New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-28


\ SIDE-LIGHT ON FREE TRADE.
AGRICULTURAL DEPRESSION IN EYGL,ND-ITs
RESULTS OF ENGLISH FARMERS
WHY THEY WILL NOT BE Needed.
TO the Ell Tor of Tho Tribune.
sir dispatch from London informs that The
Times has opened It's columns TO letter con
rrovcrsy the depression Of the wheat market, and
that noted agriculturis Mr. ". J. sutton urge
hat II England makes a step toward Fair Trade
dhe English campaign for Projection rs revision OF
he tariff Is for Free Trade here), agriculture rs
he largest English Industry ought to be first TO be
protected This dispatch, coupled with the informa
ton that farm holdings being thrown upon the
market and are selling at n tremendous loss. should
not escape he attention OF American voters, o.
pccally OF the farmers and Of those who In the words
Of an old writer. think whoever does not maintain
the plough destroys the Kingdom But the full
significance OF the and Is bearings on the
question OF Free Trade cannot be thoroughly under
stood except by those who are familiar with the con
atons Of life in England the ~oiulness Of agricultural
depression and The apparent hopelcssnoS OF the
struggle The average American would attribute the
state Of affairs TO the climate and the oppression OF
the landlords but while these factors In tho case
the great agcn, In the destruction Of the English
farming interests Free Trade.
1t is the glory OF Golden that abe gave nation
bread and the cheap Loaf has been the shbboetb
Of English politicians for than two generations
The famine OF 1916 1340 forced Free Trade upon
England for after the repeal OF the Corn laws the
farmers demanded the free import OF such articles ne
they were compelled 10 buy But their ability TO
buy I'm the cheapest mnrket' has not counter
balanced the loss cnallcd by being obliged 10 sell In
the same market and they find themselves In the
nrcdicaucnt OF the housewife who once conndcd 10
mo that she had always noticed that bargains were
most plentiful when she had no money There are
t thc present line about 100 900 landowners In the
United Kingdom. with properties averaging 3oo
acres The tenant farmers would not number
million and their farms do not average more than
fifty acres Tho ycomanry OF England, tina Is the
tormors who owned their land and worked II them
elvos thc class from which Golden himself sprang.
Is almost extinct II has been dying out for the last
900 year. the causes being emigration and tho
ABSORPTION OF the land bv great estates. The httcr
must not be- laid TO the doors OF the noDily nut 10
tho newly rlch those who have acquired wealth IN
trade or manufactures and who are fred with desire
to own an estate and found family. II Is possible
ha. 4, every available acre OF land In Great Britain
and ireland could brought under cultivation II
sufficient capital invested and The latest ds'
coverios q, science were applied. that England Nigh
be able 20 feed her population Even then ue
raising OF wheat would be- risky speculation since
/, has been shown that It costs more 10 manure an
acre OF English land for wheat than 10 bring the
nroducc OF that aero from Chicago to Liverpool
Thus American wheat. raised under the most favorable
conditions Of climate vast farms. improved machinery
and intelligent supervision, can be sold IN Enghsh
markets without handicap But every mere IN hhg'
land canno, be hrouch, under cultivation. scientific
methods cannot be universally employed English
farms do not attract the capitalist. and meanwhile
tho neonlo mus, bc fed Therefore England cannot rc
enact Tho Corn laws. FOR they would be The iorennne
~ famine II Is this necessity Of England which Is
carefully kept in background by tho advocates Of
Free Trade In America.
vnutar IN
TINT English farmers continue the struggle ana raise
orain on few acres In competition with our farms
~ miles I'm extent In many instances they cannot
bclp themselves. for the land Is leased 10 them on
long cnurcs forty and ninety nine years bong com
mon for farm leases. with the express understanding
that the land Is to be used Tor wheat. The cnsne
Of land is guarded jealousy as the leasing Of hne
bousc property I'm hi, country, with the additional
disadvantage to the tcnnnt Of law TINT Is Ike unto
those Of the Modes and pcrsians. and admit Of no
o,coseions even 10 common sense. II l. hut fair
,o state TINT landlords not all unreasonable ana
in many Instances the terms OF the leases nave bcn
modIncd ~ rs to enable the tenant to have i"r
chance 10 mako living. In letter received tms
week from who ia this country IN S'mi%f
nostion would be supposed 10 be mailing money
fast and nj least would have the opportunity of so
doing occurs this testimony I'VE are donS Wen
that f. 10 say, have made ends meet tAls hs'
Gear. English farmer are thankful when they can
ihnt-thcy
money"
uurinr residence OF several ycnrs III England.
uhen there WAS no special for obtaining evl
dcnco nevertheless took pains 10 get the testimony
Of farmers IN different parts Of England. III Only
one Instance met with the assertion that raising
a,nin n England could bc made 10 pay. subseincht
nouIry disclosed the Interesting fact that my IN
Dormant raised barley ana s"ia IL 10 "iS""V'S !"
(which he held stock.
rho notifications I'm leases largely the result
Of suggestions made by the statesmen who recognize
he Iuin brought upon the farmers by Free lraue'
but dare not lift finger 10 protect tlem Ihes
recommend the Of Kent n 80 in for fruit raising
those OF the Midland counties for poultry or dairy
farming: and the subject Of the revival OF village
,ndust,ies is OF absorbing interest to the British
uoliilco economist. Fruit farming and Jam making
nave net with fair success, Tor Kent Is " soodN
country and the Kcntish men arc men OF enterprise
and farsigh,cdness. Although II has no direct Dear
ing on the subject In hand IT will serve to illustrate
the difference between Kentish and other English
mo, IN mention that the common law Of Kent at
mans death divides his property equally among hi
e, h, ronsboni England II is because Of TINS
that there are st freehold farmers In Kent ana uc
spirit Of old English irseme1 Is Rep, up od.r noble
patronage and with large capital, has not PAD
Whether ids 10 owing to ignorance msnaasemen,
lnsurmountnbe dimcultles In the way OF climate.
Unable to ,n,s rms s 'I hv T1 be non and he
pon.try win the exception OF turkeys aud Aylesbur!
ducks Is Iicior Dairy farming Is sun IN tho cA
detrimental stage. A prominent produce dealer III
iondon told me thai for years he had tired, rs
matter Of patriotism, to make specially OF Ehghsh
nutter I'm TIE Jpe OF establishing demand Tor the
nroiuct of English dnircs. but he was obliged 10 give
II NJ for English butter vared 30 greatly IN qnaiitS
that he could not rely upon II ~ I'LL orders.
The ucgcsons 10 farmers are only part OF the due
4 III. and upholdcrs OF Free Trade We warn
thn q who wish 10 model tarlH on the Engnsh
plnn that they would do well to stock their Libraries
With volumes Of these valuable Hints on coo ~
wiz the election. the demand for rcbef would be I'm
| mediate ard impOriunatc These hints remind me o.
an Injunction once Gwen 10 class OF schoolgirls
before n public oral examination " III Won dont kno"
What he THE superintendent asks you, tell nm some
thing ciss II can't make yolr present bislneh
paw try something II yOl find tat Germany nakcs
glass iron and woolcn goods cheaper than YOU car
-aI.. Llnn ole a