Protection in France (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1904 Excerpt: ...and of M. Meline himself to prevent the extremists from placing a duty on foreign wool to the detriment of the greatest textile industry in the country. The complaints were in great measure exaggerated, since the sheep farmers had for many years been tending more and more 1 The relative strength of the British position has, of course, been considerably weakened by the recent Sugar Convention. to the greatest possible production of meat rather than of wool, as has been the case also in the United Kingdom. Here, however, they are hampered by the slow expansion in the demand for meat which again is principally due to the heavy food taxes. The wine industry stands apart from other agricultural industries in France. In early days wine growers were ardent free traders. Their conversion to Protection was due principally to the accidental disturbance of the industry by the phylloxera. During the years 1860 to 1870, there was an enormous increase in wine growing, due partly to the treaties of commerce, but principally to the increase in French consumption which followed on the building of the railways. Subsequently the phylloxera attacked and destroyed great numbers of the vines. There followed a parallel decline in the production of wines. After various experiments (both official and private), it was discovered that American vine stocks resisted the pest. The Government at first opposed this remedy on the ground that domestic vineyards ought to be cured with domestic vine stocks. One remembers a similar incident in the history of Naaman the Syrian--possibly the earliest literary expression of protectionist sentiment. Eventually the Government realised that the waters of Jordan, i.e. the American stocks, were more efficacious than the domestic article. They accordin...