Page:Tales in Political Economy by Millicent Garrett Fawcett.djvu/45

 my mates have been slaving away these three years to make corn grow here, and at last we have made it grow. Now, for the protection of native industry, I say you oughtn't to flood our market with food that costs next to nothing, while the food we are able to produce has cost us many a hard day's work, besides involving an immense amount of risk and anxiety. It is impossible our home-grown corn can compete against these foreign plantains; we can't produce food in our own market with four times the labour that it will take to bring the plantains over in the boats. The corn-trade, the principal industry we have, will be completely ruined, and all those engaged in it will lose their ordinary means of supplying their wants. I say, sir, that it would be a much better thing for us to make firewood of every plantain we can find than to destroy the corn-trade, on which so much of our prosperity has hitherto depended."

When he had finished speaking there was a murmur of disapprobation from the majority; but the corn-growers, and those dependent on them, greeted what he said with clapping of