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THE NEED FOR TARIFF REFORM.

At the Tunbridge Wells Farmers’ Club, on January 15th, 1904.

On the last occasion when I was present at a gathering of the Club, we had the advantage and pleasure of the presence of two distinguished Colonial Statesmen, in Sir Edmund Barton and Mr. Seddon. The subject of Tariff Reform was alluded to at that gathering, and I think that many of you would have gathered from the remarks I then made that I was not likely to be a bigoted opponent of the policy which has now taken its place in practical politics. The question has many sides to it. Before dealing with it on its agricultural side, I propose to say a few words from the industrial and Imperial points of view; on the latter of which I feel more especially competent to speak.

Our industrial position.In considering the question of Tariff Reform on the industrial side, a broad survey must be taken. Of course, it is very often discussed from the point of view of individual trades, but the objection to this method of treatment is that it is possible to quote particular trades which have been very hard hit by the system of free imports, and it is also possible to quote other trades that are doing fairly well. If you will go to what is, after all, the most important table in the great Blue Book which is being quoted by speakers

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