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

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II.]
THE SHIPWRECKED SAILORS.
35

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