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vation, would do to build great manufacturing towns upon, and if the clay, in such cases, happened to be brick clay, so much the better.

This brings us to the consideration of the immense value to which, under a system of free trade, dictated by equal justice, land, in this country, would be likely to attain.

CHAPTER X.

ON THE INCREASED VALUE OF LAND UNDER A

SYSTEM OF FREE TRADE.

"A Free Trade in Corn, the real interest of the Landlord, and the true policy of the State."-Title of Sir J. Graham's Pamphlet.

WHENEVER freedom, from every unjust restriction, shall permit trade, wealth, and population, to progress with a daily and rapid increase, the land alone, under these favourable circumstances, continuing to be limited, must, as it becomes relatively scarce, rise to an enormous value.

Yet, the first necessaries of life, and the raw material for manufactures, being imported in abundance, and at low prices, the new and honest, because natural monopoly which landlords would then possess, would cause neither serious privations to the labouring classes, nor limitations to trade, and, therefore, would not produce that reaction upon the land which has been occasioned by the mistaken attempt to obtain an unjust advantage over the rest of the community, by using the au

thority of a parliament of landowners, to starve the population into the payment of rents, disproportioned to the existing state of the prosperity of the country.* Nay, should it so happen that under a system of free trade, the whole land not occupied by buildings should, one time or other, come to be required for purposes of luxury, so that the possession of a small portion of ornamental pleasure ground should confer distinction, and fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, etc., become what hot-house grapes and pines are now, the fare only of the very rich, though such an excess of competition, even for luxuries, would be very far from desirable, still, while the labouring classes found the fruit of their labour to be abundance of bread, on terms that did not oblige them to labour beyond their strength, it would be to them matter of comparative indifference, whether that bread fell from the heavens, like the manna of the Israelites; rose from the earth, responsive to their own labours; or crossed the sea in floating granaries, to supply the deficiency from geographical position, of an island empire which, from overgrown prosperity, had become almost one town.

* In a future chapter it will appear, that an extensive adoption of the small allotment system is not only calculated to carry the nation safely and easily through the period of transition, but that it would also be, in all probability, the best possible preparation for a convenient supply of the new species of crops, for which a new demand is anticipated.

Taking, however, a more moderate view of the subject should such freedom of trade, as equal justice demands, be established in this country, before our manufactures are driven abroad, the future prospects of landlords will be splendid beyond conception! It has been already shown, that, with a free trade in corn, an unlimited market for our manufactures would open before us, the natural consequences of which, must be profitable employment for all the labour of a rapidly increasing population, with a field for, and fair profit upon a daily growing capital; land alone, the while, as has been already remarked, from the single circumstance of our being an island, standing still, while all things else were thus rapidly changing their relative proportions to land, not only must the highest possible degree of competition for land yet known arise, but probably a degree of competition, and a consequent rise in value, as yet unheard of. The enormous price which building land in and near great towns already brings, may give some idea of the state of things which might arise in this country, were trade allowed to prosper unmolested.

Families change from towns to the country, or from towns of more trade or fashion, to towns of less trade or fashion, to obtain, on more moderate terms, a house, with or without, according to their plan of life, a garden, or a few acres of pleasure or accommodation ground; but the price of land must be exorbitant indeed, before people who had

realized comfortable competencies, would become exiles to avoid paying a high rent for their house and garden; particularly in a country in which they enjoyed the advantage of first necessaries, and general prices being reasonable.*

It will probably be asked, in ironical triumph, if it be meant that the whole of every estate in the kingdom would be required for building land. This is not exactly the meaning intended; but it is meant to be asserted that, at no very distant period, old towns and villages would stretch, and new towns and villages arise, upon, or in the vicinity of every, or almost every estate in the kingdom; and that thus, every, or almost every landowner, by obtaining building or accommodation price or rent for a part of his property, would find the average value of the whole much increased. This would be the case, even though the actual rents of houses and gardens should not exceed what they are at present, the very lowest price of building or accommodation land being already so much higher than the very highest price of agricultural land. Indeed, so great is the difference, that the landowner who could find such a market for a very small part of an agricultural estate, would be repaid, although he should

* But house rent would not probably rise; for however high ground rent might be, the proposed repeal of all taxes and monopoly-creating restrictions on timber, bricks, and all building materials, would very much lessen the prime cost of erecting houses.

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