One of those productions ...
The Times, 1824-11-04T00:00:00

One of those productions callel tarifTh, has just bcen presented by his Belgie jMajesty to the Lower Chamber of the States-Genetal, for their approbation ; anid veritably, it they (lo approve of it, we shall be apt to thinlk them not n1uch inferior in wis(dom and patriotism to the KiING himself. This tariff-after a touch upon vinegar,which, it appears, is too precious a beverage to be parted with, and is therefore to pay a dluty on exportation-goes on to treat about grain in all its branelhes. Our readers know pretty well by this tine what sort of thing a lande(d iiterest is. In ringland, the land(ed geni tlemnen have been long contrivitng to save their awn rents at the expense of our stoniachs, and so completely havc they gainc(d their point, that while thc price of breadl has beeni kept up, thc renits have universally tallei! The gentlemeni or tile Neitierlarnds having a laud- able desire to follow this very edifying example, have be- sieged their Government with uinrmurs andtl renmonistranices uponI (lie mischief of suffering the Dutchl aind Flemish nia- tions to cat any bread of foreign giowthi. The GoverinmenlL, in obedieimce, as usual, to the " Country Gentlemneni," puts forth a project for a new tax on corn, by one clause of whichl it is provided, that all grain imported sball pay an increasel duty ; and by anather, that the Flemiish farmer himself sliall be discouraged from growiing the very article thus protected, by a tax on1 the export or grain, little short of that upon its importation ! The wisdlomn of our pro- founjd aud enlightened anicestors was conspicuoua in the severity-of their imposts upon the conveyance of such ar- ticles out of the kisngdom as they were anxious to keep among themselves. Their prudence has beens devoutly umittted by their descendants of the iast and present,gene- ration, who laid a tax on foreign wool imlported, andt an- otlher oni native wool exported, tlhat they miglht balanec accounts between the farmner ancl the inaimufacturer by in- juring both alike. So here we see reflected, in this Dlutich looking-glass, the bright image of our owIn policy, rcelote and recent, witlh regard to the taxation of wool. T'lhe people oxn one hanud are told that they shall bave nio bread at all but such as their native soil aff,rds them; anid the pro Ilcertt of bread are egludea from thb foteign market, that they may be deterred, ly this happy expedient, from growinig a single grain too much for domestic purposes, and there- fore from giving the victims of their monopoly the chaitce of even a momentary fall in prices. One might almost fancy that some of our largc English lanlholders had got the ear of the Dutchl Fihance Mfiniister, and whispered into it how kindly he woul(d act by plasing sueh an obstacle before the Dutch agriculturists in their road to the British market. Why, of such Corn-law-leatherheadedness we can bring no more signal proof, than that even Lord BEXLEY was not guilty of it! Even Lord BsxLEYhlad sense enough to pro. pose that the export of corn, at least, should be free to the English merchant. If the object of the Flemish Cabinet be-by pretending to give way on the one side to the land- holder, and on the other to the trader-to raise, in reality, a revenue upon both, it presents the question under another aspect. The Government, in that case) plays its own thrifty game. WVbile the bear anid lion are contending for the carcase, reynard slips behind them, and makes a hearty meal of it.