The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1886-11-13 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

DIR. CHAPLIN ON PROTECTION.  On Tuesday a meeting of the landowners, tenant farmers, and labourers of Lincolnshire was held in the Mission Hall of the county town, under the presidency of Earl Brownlow, Lord Lieutenant of the county, in reference to the present agricultural depression. Amongst those present were Mr. Chaplin, M.P., Mr. Lawrence, M.P., Mr. Heath, M.P., Colonel Eyre, M.P., Mr. Fitch-Hatton, Mr. Kerans, M.P., and Sir John Astley. Mr. Chaplin, who was loudly cheered, supported a resolution urging upon the Government the necessity of averting by adequate measures the dangers arising from the continued and increasing agricultural depression, especially in the corn-growing districts of the country. The right hon. gentleman said that at last the prophecies of those who objected to the repeal of the corn laws were beginning to be literally fulfilled. (Cheers.) The depression in the corngrowing districts wasincressing rather than diminishing. The result. of the destruction of the wheat-growing industry would be a heavy loss in the annual production of wealth, an enormous displacement of labour, and the practical dependence of the English people for their staple food on importation from foreign countries. No Government could ignore these dangers. Some people advocated an import duty upon wheat. (Cheers, and a cry of Shame.) He desired to be absolutely frank. The question of imposing taxation which would increase the price of food to the mass of the people was so grave that it should be settled by the people themselves, and until he had proof that the people of this country desired it and were prepared for it, he, for one, was not prepared to impose an import duty upon wheat. (Hear, hear.) There was another thing which would place the people of this country in a different position in which tney would not be dependent entirely upon foreign supplies --viz., a duty upon fcreign manufactured articles imported into this country. He did not see why there should not be a considerable reform in the fiscal system by which their taxation might be lightened, and the foreign producer who used our markets be compelled to pay his fair share towards the revenue of this country. (Cheers.) We had not for many years a Chancellor of the Exchequer more likely to lend a sympathising ear to their complaints than his noble friend Lord Randolph Churchill. (Renewed chem.) In a singularly able speech delivered in 1884 Lord Randolph Churchill, describing the present condition of British industry and how it was affected by our present methods of raising revenue, said, "Turn your eyes where you will, survey any branch cf British industry you like, you will find the signs of mortal disease," and then later on, "What has produced this state of things? Free imports? lam not sure. I should like an inquiry, but*l suspect free imports of the murder of our industries much in the same way as if I found a man standing over a corpse and plunging his knife in it I should suspect that man of homicide." (Cheers.) That was a very significant statement, which showed the direction in which the ' natural sympathies of their present Chancellor of the Exchequer pointed. He was a man of courage, and if he once convinced himself that a reform of this nature was really for the public good and that it was possible he would not shrink from the task because of its magnitude and the difficulties it presented. (Hear, hear.) It would not be right for them, however, to expect too much from the Government. No Government could carry out a reform such as was indicated in the resolution against the public opinion of the country. On the other hand no Government could resist it if public opinion was in its favour. (Cheers.) What then was the moral he drew from this? It was that what they had to do was to educate public opinion upon this matter. He trusted their example would be followed by many other counties throughout the country, and earnestly did he trust that they might be instrumental in paving the way for the restoration of the commercial and agricultural prosperity of the United Kingdom. The resolution was carried, and other resolutions were passed.