e due to causes beyond our control. We cannot control
the causes which make the earth refuse her fruits at a certain
season, nor can we, unfortunately, at present, control the speculation
which always arises when an unusual stringency is discovered. Compared
to these forces, the taxes which you suggest should be imposed upon
food and raw materials might, I admit, be small, but they would be the
only factor in price which would be absolutely in our control.

If, from circumstances which we may easily imagine, any of the great
staple articles which were the subject of preference should be driven
up in price to an unusual height, there would be a demand--and I think
an irresistible demand--in this country that the tax should be
removed. The tax would bear all the unpopularity. People would say:
"This, at any rate, we can take off, and relieve the burden which is
pressing so heavily upon us." But now see the difficulty in which we
should then be involved. At present all our taxes are under our own
control. An unpopular tax can be removed; if the Government will not
remove it they can be turned out and another Government to remove the
tax can be got from the people by election. It can be done at once.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer can come down to the House and the
tax can be repealed if there is a sufficiently fierce demand for it.

But these food taxes by which you seek to bind the Empire
together--these curious links of Empire which you are asking us to
forge laboriously now--would be irremovable, and upon them would
descend the whole weight and burden of popular anger in time of
suffering. They would be irremovable, because fixed by treaty with
self-governing Dominions scattered about all over the world, and in
return for those duties we should have received concessions in
Colonial tariffs on the basis of which their industries would have
grown up tier upon tier through a long period of time.

Although, no doubt, another Conference hastily assembled might be able
to break the shackle which would fasten us--to break that fiscal bond
which would join us together and release us from the obligation--that
might take a great deal of time. Many Parliaments and Governments
would have to be consulted, and all the difficulties of distance would
intervene to prevent a speedy relief from that deadlock. If the day
comes in this country when you have a stern demand--and an
overwhelming demand of a Parliament, backed by a vast popu