The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-20
ENGLAND's PREDICAMENr.

Agriculturally England is already
pauperiZed and the first thing the
| queens government would have to
| look to in the event of a declaration
of war with America would be the
/ question of food. England might de-
clare war with any other power and
! be safe touching army supplies with
| America on d friendly footing. Be
| fore going into the great war she
would have to stock up with American
corned beef and mess pork and canned
vegetables Of all kinds.
The statement made by the Earl of
I Winchelsea, president of the National
Agricultural union, at the annual con-
greSs of that association in London on
Thursday last, presents woeful pie
ture of the blight which has come over
British huSbandry. During the past
year $4,000 acres of wheat land went
out Of cultiyation,an the British home
crop was thereby further reduced -
100000 quarters per annum.
a slight consideration of the matter
will make it APPARENT that the agricul-
tural situation is destined to exert a
controlling influence upon the foreign
and domestic policies of Lord Sails
bury. In the international aspect of
the question the increasing dependency
of the English people upon foreign. and
possibly hostile. countries for food NAV
well give ground for alarm. Even
suppoSing that the relations between
Great Britain and tie countries from
which her people must Draw the neces-
sarieS Of life should remain continu-
ously friendly. war with any other
power. and the consequent increase of
marine Insurance premiums upon car
goes and shipping. would Immediately
result in raising the prices of food in
England To famine rates; and the fear
Of such a calamity must of itself CON
stitufe a serious drag upon Lord Sal
iSbury'S freedom of action in inter-
national questions.
But in many other respects the agri-
cultural situation is likely to become a
serious matter for the British govern
menc The remedy advocated by the
union Of which the Earl of Winchelsea
is the spokesman may be dismissed as
impracticable. The English people
VIII never consent 10 n re-enactment
Of the corn laws, and TO British Min
lister would undertake TO propose 4 re-
turn 10 PrOtectionist policy. The
British farmers, be they tenants or
landlords, will grow cronS at A loss
cannot be supposed: and the abandon
ment Of wheat lands viii be likely 10
continue in an ever-increaSin= ratio
as cheap foreign sources Of suppiv Of
The staple foods shall he opened and
developed. How desperate the condi-
aon of British hushandry has already
become was made apparent by the re-
cent suggestion ct Lord Salisbury
that the government come "a the relief
OF the owners Of agricultural land with
loans OF money II low rates OF Interest
in effect a land purchasing scheme
Of colossal magnitude. The truth OF
the matter j. that n-rI only the acricul-
rural laborerS and tenant farmers Of |
England are rapidly becoming pauper-
lied. but the land-holding and ers|-
while governing classes as Well. LADY
Warwick uttered 4 grim verify when |
she characterized the British ariS-oc
racy as splendid Isla!serS., Cansid-
erlng Ia what extent British society
i based uPea landed EN<SsSsh. the sss--i
niiude Of tie social revolution inEoly-I
Ell IN the decay ~ the landed seatrr |
can scarcely he overeStimafed. An i'm |
poveriShed house Of lords would SION |
cease 10 be power ia The land: aud |
the privileges OF a titled aristocracy |
could not be long maintained If It's |