Sir Edward Grey addressed a meeting of his constituents near
Berwick on Thursday. After maintaining that the Budget was a Free-trade Budget, and that Free-trade, thanks to the last Election, was still secure, Sir Edward observed that if the country could have been assured in 1903 that in seven years' time our trade figures would be what they are this year, no one would have listened to Protection for a moment. Under Free-trade the trade of this country bad gone on growing, whereas in Protectionist countries they saw an increased agitation against the cost of living, and following upon that an increase in the Socialist vote. If the State really could make wealth by increasing the price to consumers, it was reasonable to demand that that wealth should be dis- tributed by the State, and not go into the pockets of individuals. Protection was thus the short cut to Socialism.
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