TOBACCO CULTURE AND FREE TRADE IN ENGLAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1479, 10 February 1887, Page 2

TOBA CCO CULTURE AND FREE TRADE IN ENGLAND.

Speaking of the cultivation of tobacco m Great Britain, the London Graphic recently remarked : For many years past little or nothing ha< been done by the Government on behalf of the agricultural interest. The transfer to beer, of the tax which need to be levied on malt, was euppoaed to be a boon to the farmer, but it proved a delusion and a snaro, for beer haß distinctly deteriorated m quality, while barley is lower priced than ever. *a for the three aoreß and a cow, Hodgo has not yet got them, but if the Tories are wiae enough next session to give him us near an approximation as poeeibla to

this aspiration, they may make him a firm fiiend for m<ny jeara to como. Mtanwhilo let na aak a eroall favor for

the farmer, on whoßo bosom the Free Trade bogey cits very heavily at the present time. The price of oureals ib bo

low that, unless a rice takes place, the itome cultivator mast before long cease

to grow them This will be a queer lookout m caao of war, but, as it is the legttimate outcome of Free Trade, wb ouijht to throw up our cupa and ahuut " Hooray !" But now for our small

favor. As the British farmer oau no longer rvow corn-crops profitably, why m,t let him try his haad ut tevmcco 1 The nxperi.neuta of the past Bumra-r conoiusively aho9*that t baocu • \ fair quality o»n be yrow^)r"ficHbly m this oountry provided that the excise difficulty an be OFeroorne. But tbo present rrpulatioua of the Inlmd Revonue officials are to striDgeofc that ib would be useleaa for any farmer to try tobaooogrowing an a commtroia} venture. Why not relax theeo regalatiouß, and givo tho Borely burdened British furnier, one little rag of ProtaoHon to oover hlB Free-Trade nakedness ?"