第70部分(第2/7 頁)

certain　points。　But　I　tried　to　draw　a　picture　of　our　agriculture　and　rural　conditions　in　the　twenty…seven　counties　that；　with　the　Channel　Islands；　I　visited；　which　should　be　true　and　faithful　to　the　circumstances　of　the　time。

Some；　of　course；　were　angry　with　me　because　I　did　not　advocate　Protection　as　a　remedy。　Others　of　a　different　school　were　angry　because　I　pointed　out　that　Free　Trade　had　wrought　enormous　damage　to　British　agriculture；　and　that　this　same　Protection；　if　it　could　be　established；　would　go　far　to　repair　that　damage。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　began　my　travels　a　believer　in　Protection。　By　the　time　I　had　finished　them；　rightly　or　wrongly　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　was　not　feasible　in　England　—　a　view　which；　during　the　last　ten　years　or　so　that　have　elapsed　since　the　publication　of　“Rural　England；”　little　has　happened　to　controvert。　Indeed；　I　still　hold　that　Protection；　or　Tariff　Reform；　which　is　so　widely　advocated　by　the　followers　of　Mr。　Chamberlain；　is　a　heavy　stone　tied　round　the　neck　of　the　Unionist　dog；　and　one　which　it　will　find　makes　swimming　difficult　in　our　political　waters。

I　elaborated　these　views　in　a　speech　I　made　some　months　after　I　published　“Rural　England”　at　the　Framlingham　Farmers’　Club；　which　speech　has　often　been　quoted　since　that　time；　when；　it　will　be　remembered；　Mr。　Chamberlain’s　proposals　were　very　much　before　the　country。

Well；　Mr。　Chamberlain’s　trumpet；　which　has　been　echoing　through　the　land　for　the　last　ten　years；　has　not　yet　shaken　down　the　Free　Trade　walls；　though　it　is　possible　that　by　the　time　these　lines　are　read　it　may　have　done　so。　I　cannot　tell；　nobody　can　tell　except　the　Great　Disposer　of　events。　I　can　only　put　things　as　I　see　them。　At　any　rate　the　point　that　I　believe　I　was　the　first　to　place　bef