It is a Fact

That out of the £400,000,000 worth of our annual imports, something like £355,000,000 are for food, and materials for our own manufactures, while only £45,000,000 are for finished products.

It is a Fact

That while Fair Traders differ among themselves as to the policy of taxing food and materials, they are all agreed that these £45,000,000 should be subjected to duties, the object being either to exclude them, or to make the foreigner pay the tax.

It is a Fact

However, that any tax paid on these imports would be paid by the British consumer, and not the foreign exporter.

It is a Fact

Also, that if any portion of these £45,000,000 were excluded, owing to tariff, just to the amount of such exclusion would there cease to be a demand for British labour; it being impossible for the foreigner to buy in our markets unless he be allowed to sell therein.

It is a Fact

That, except in a very trifling proportion, nations pay each other by goods, and not by gold or silver. Every pound's worth of foreign goods, of whatever sort, sold here gives rise to a purchase, directly or indirectly, of a pound's worth of British goods of some kind or other; and thus, instead of curtailing British labour, causes a demand for it.

It is a Fact

Therefore, that no more fatal thing could be done than to tax foreign imports with the idea that the British artizan would thereby be benefited.

Messrs Cassell & Company, Limited, La Belle Sauvage Yard, London, E.C., supply the Cobden Club Leaflets in packets of 100, price 1s.