customers have set up in their own countries improved copies of
our industrial organization； and have discovered places where
iron and coal are even handier than they are by this time in
England。 They produce for themselves； or buy elsewhere； what they
formerly bought from us。 Our profits are vanishing； our machinery
is standing idle； our workmen are locked out。 It pays now to stop
the mills and fight and crush the unions when the men strike； no
longer for an advance； but against a reduction。 Now that these
unions are beaten； helpless； and drifting to bankruptcy as the
proportion of unemployed men in their ranks becomes greater； they
are being petted and made much of by our class； an infallible
sign that they are making no further progress in their duty of
destroying us。 The small capitalists are left stranded by the
ebb； the big ones will follow the tide across the water； and
rebuild their factories where steam power； water power； labor
power； and transport are now cheaper than in England； where they
used to be cheapest。 The workers will emigrate in pursuit of the
factory； but they will multiply faster than they emigrate； and be
told that their own exorbitant demand for wages is driving
capital abroad； and must continue to do so whilst there is a
Chinaman or a Hindoo unemployed to underbid them。 As the British
factories are shut up； they will be replaced by villas； the
manufacturing districts will become fashionable resorts for
capitalists living on the interest of foreign investments； the
farms and sheep runs will be cleared for deer forests。 All
products that can in the nature of things be manufactured
elsewhere than where they are consumed will be imported in
payment of deer…forest rents from foreign sportsmen； or of
dividends due to shareholders resident in England； but holding
shares in companies abroad； and these imports will not be paid
for by ex ports； because rent and interest are not paid for at
alla fact which the Free Traders do not yet see； or at any rate
do not mention； although it is the key to the whole mystery of
their opponents。 The cry for Protection will become wild； but no
one will dare resort to a demonstrably absurd measure that must
raise prices before it raises wages； and that has everywhere
failed to benefit the worker。 There will be no employment for
anyone except in doing things that must be done on the spot； such
as unpacking and distributing the imports； ministering to the
proprietors as domestic servants； or by acting； preaching；
paving； lighting； housebuilding； and the rest； and some of these；
as the capitalist comes to regard ostentation as vulgar； and to
enjoy a simpler life； will employ fewer and fewer people。 A vast
proletariat； beginning with a nucleus of those formerly employed
in export trades； with their multiplying progeny； will be out of
employment permanently。 They will demand access to the land and
machinery to produce for themselves。 They will be refused。 They
will break a few windows and be dispersed with a warning to their
leaders。 They will burn a few houses and murder a policeman or
two； and then an example will be made of the warned。 They will
revolt； and be shot down with
machine…gunsemigratedexterminated anyhow and everyhow； for
the proprietary classes have no idea of any other means of
dealing with the full claims of labor。 You yourself； though you
would give fifty pounds to Jansenius's emigration fund readily
enough； would call for the police； the military； and the Riot
Act； if the people came to Brandon Beeches and bade you turn out
and work for your living with the rest。 Well； the superfluous
proletariat destroyed； there will remain a population of
capitalists living on gratuitous imports and served by a
disaffected retinue。 One day the gratuitous imports will stop in
consequence of the occurrence abroad of revolution and
repudiation； fall in the rate of interest； purchase of industries
by governments for lump sums； not reinvestable； or what not。 Our
capitalist community is then thrown on the remains of the last
dividend； which it consumes long before it can rehabilitate its
extinct machinery of production in order to support itself with
its own hands。 Horses； dogs； cats； rats； blackberries； mushrooms；
and cannibalism only postpone〃
〃Ha！ ha！ ha！〃 shouted Sir Charles。 〃On my honor； I thought you
were serious at first； Trefusis。 Come； confess； old chap； it's
all a fad of yours。 I half suspected you of being a bit of a
crank。〃 And he winked at Erskine。
〃What I have described to you is the inevitable outcome of our
present Free Trade policy without Socialism。 The theory of Free
Trade is only applicable to systems of exchange； not to systems
of spoliation。 Our system is one of spoliation； and if we don't
abandon it； we must either return to Protection or go to smash by
the road I have just mapped。 Now； sooner than let the
Protectionists triumph； the Cobden Club itself would blow the
gaff and point out to the workers that Protection only means
compelling the proprietors of England to employ slaves resident
in England and therefore presumablythough by no means
necessarilyEnglishmen。 This would open the eyes of the nation
at last to the fact that England is not their property。 Once let
them understand that and they would soon make it so。 When England
is made the property of its inhabitants collectively； England
becomes socialistic。 Artificial inequality will vanish then
before real freedom of contract； freedom of competition； or
unhampered emulation； will keep us moving ahead； and Free Trade
will fulfil its promises at last。〃
〃And the idlers and loafers；〃 said Erskine。 〃What of them？〃
〃You and I； in fact；〃 said Trefusis； 〃die of starvation； I
suppose； unless we choose to work； or unless they give us a
little out…door relief in consideration of our bad bringing…up。〃
〃Do you mean that they will plunder us？〃 said Sir Charles。
〃I mean that they will make us stop plundering them。 If they
hesitate to strip us naked； or to cut our throats if we offer
them the smallest resistance； they will show us more mercy than
we ever showed them。 Consider what we have done to get our rents
in Ireland and Scotland； and our dividends in Egypt； if you have
already forgotten my photographs and their lesson in our
atrocities at home。 Why； man； we murder the great mass of these
toilers with overwork and hardship； their average lifetime is not
half as long as ours。 Human nature is the same in them as in us。
If we resist them； and succeed in restoring order； as we call it；
we will punish them mercilessly for their insubordination； as we
did in Paris in 1871； where； by…the…bye； we taught them the folly
of giving their enemies quarter。 If they beat us； we shall catch
it； and serve us right。 Far better turn honest at once and avert
bloodshed。 Eh； Erskine？〃
Erskine was considering what reply he should make； when Trefusis
disconcerted him by ringing a bell。 Presently the elderly woman
appeared； pushing before her an oblong table mounted on wheels；
like a barrow。
〃Thank you；〃 said Trefusis； and dismissed her。 〃Here is some good
wine； some good water； some good fruit； and some good bread。 I
know that you cling to wine as to a good familiar creature。 As
for me； I make no distinction between it and other vegetable
poisons。 I abstain from them all。 Water for serenity； wine for
excitement。 I； having boiling springs of excitement within
myself； am never at a loss for it； and have only to seek
serenity。 However；〃 （here he drew a cork）； 〃a generous goblet of
this will make you feel like gods for half an hour at least。
Shall we drink to your conversion to Socialism？〃
Sir Charles shook his head。
〃Come； Mr。 Donovan Brown； the great artist； is a Socialist； and
why should not you be one？〃
〃Donovan Brown！〃 exclaimed Sir Charles with interest。 〃Is it
possible？ Do you know him personally？〃
〃Here are several letters from him。 You may read them； the mere
autograph of such a man is interesting。〃
Sir Charles took the letters and read them earnestly； Erskine
reading over his shoulder。
〃I most cordially agree with everything he says here；〃 said Sir
Charles。 〃It is quite true； quite true。〃
〃Of course you agree with us。 Donovan Brown's eminence as an
artist has gained me one recruit； and yours as a baronet will
gain me some more。〃
〃But〃
〃But what？〃 said Trefusis； deftly opening one of the albums at a
photograph of a loathsome room。
〃You are against that； are you not？ Donovan Brown is against it；
and I am against it。 You may disagree with us in everything else；
but there you are at one with us。 Is it not so？〃
〃But that may be the result of drunkenness； improvidence； or〃
〃My father's income was fifty times as great as that of Donovan
Brown。 Do you believe that Donovan Brown is fifty times as
drunken and improvident as my father was？〃
〃Certainly not。 I do not deny that there is much in what you
urge。 Still； you ask me to take a rather important step。〃
〃Not a bit of it。 I don't ask you to subscribe to； join； or in
any way pledge yourself to any society or conspiracy whatsoever。
I only want your name for private mention to cowards who think
Socialism right； but will not say so because they do not think it
respectable。 They will not be ashamed of their convictions when
they learn that a baronet shares them。 Socialism offers you
something already； you see； a good use for your hitherto useless
title。〃
Sir Charles colored a little； conscious that the example of his
favorite painter had influenced him more than his own conviction
or the arguments of Trefusis。
〃What do you think； Chester？〃 he said。 〃Will you join？〃
〃Erskine is already committed to the cause of liberty by his
published writings；〃 said Trefusis。 〃Three of the pamphlets on
that shelf contain quotations from 'The Patriot Martyrs。'〃
Erskine blushed； flattered by being quoted； an attention that had
been shown him only once before； and then by a reviewer with the
object of proving that the Patriot Martyrs were slovenly in their
grammar。
〃Come！〃 said Trefusis。 〃Shall I write to Donovan Brown that his
letters have gained the cordial assent and sympathy of Sir
Charles Brandon？〃
〃