C LTRRENT LITERAT URE.
A 'ITMELY BOOK.
The Free-Trade Movement and its Results. By G. Armitage- Smith, M.A., Principal of the Birkbeck College. Second Edition. (Mackie and Son. 2s. 6d.)—This is an almost ideal book for any persons, and there are many such just now, who wish to see stated clearly and fully, and always with a view to the objections raised, the gist of what is to be said in the way of history, theory, and statistics in favour of the Free-trade policy. The fact that it was first published five years ago, and therefore before political con- troversy had excited and confirmed prejudices on either aide, greatly enhances the value of the book for present purposes. But though the author has dealt with the subject in the "scientific spirit of inquiry and explanation," the conclusions to which "careful and long-continued study of the facts" has forced him are unmistakable. These conclusions are focussed in a new chapter (written in June, 1903) on preferential tariffs ; and we know of no more complete or convincing statement against the policy now being put forward in Mr. Chamberlain's name than is to be found in the thirty pages of this chapter. In other parts of the book most of the points which trouble honest inquirers will be seen to have been ably dealt with by anticipation,—the argu- ment, for instance, that the "verdict of the world is against us" (p. 145); the reasons why importing determines exporting (pp. 109-10) ; the reasons for the belief that owing to the endless progression of human wants, the progress of other countries does not militate against the well-being of Great Britain (pp: 262-66). We believe that this little volume will carry great weight with all those whom an inflated and mistaken kind of Imperialism has not rendered impervious to solid economic and political argument.
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