第71部分(第3/7 頁)

om　I　knew　fairly　well；　introducing　him　to　me　one　day　when　I　was　lunching　at　the　Athenaeum；　on　which　occasion　they　both　expounded　to　me　the　reasons　of　their　strong　dislike　of　Protection。　Here　is　the　letter：

Ditchingham　House；　Norfolk：

March　19；　1903。

My　dear　Sir；　—　I　have　read　your　speech　reported　yesterday；　and　in　consequence　I　am　venturing　to　ask　your　acceptance　of　the　copy　of　my　recently　published　work　“Rural　England”　which　I　send　herewith。　I　hope　that　you　may　find　time　to　glance　at　the　book；　and　especially　at　the　chapter　headed　“Conclusions。”　Most　thoroughly　do　I　agree　with　what　you　say　as　to　the　possibility　of　a　vastly　increased　output　of　home…grown　food。　But　this　you　will　never　get　until　you　have　co…operation　and　the　cheap　carriage　which；　as　you　may　have　seen；　I　am　doing　my　best　to　advocate　—　under　the　form　of　an　increase　in　postal　facilities。　For　this　reason：　without　co…operation　and　cheap　carriage　the　small　holder　cannot　thrive；　and　it　is　to　him　that　you　must　look　for　enlarged　production　—　not　to　the　large　farmers。　As　regards　the　lack　of　rural　cottages　I　agree　that　this　is　one　of　the　great　causes　of　the　exodus　to　the　towns　（see　Vol。　II；　pp。　519…520）。　But　the　lack　of　prospects　is　a　greater。　If　labourers　had　a　prospect　of　rising　and　could　do　well　on　the　land　as　small　holders　they　would　soon　get　cottages；　for　then　they　could　pay　a　rent　at　which　these　would　be　remunerative　to　build。　Or　more　probably　they　would　build　their　own；　as　at　Evesham。

Now　I　believe　that　such　prospects　could　be　afforded　to　labouring　men　by　means　of　some　such　moderate　measures　of　reform　as　I　have　suggested　（Vol。　II；　p。　555）　if　only　some　British　Government　would　really　take　the　matter　to　heart。

To　my　mind；　to　plunge　everlastingly　into　foreign　adventure　after　for