wealbk04-第22章

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beyond　the　consumption　of　the　season；　and　to　last　for　some　time

after　the　next　crop　begins　to　come　in；　he　runs　the　hazard；　not

only　of　losing　a　considerable　part　of　his　corn　by　natural　causes；

but　of　being　obliged　to　sell　what　remains　of　it　for　much　less

than　what　he　might　have　had　for　it　several　months　before。　If　by

not　raising　the　price　high　enough　he　discourages　the　consumption

so　little　that　the　supply　of　the　season　is　likely　to　fall　short

of　the　consumption　of　the　season；　he　not　only　loses　a　part　of　the

profit　which　he　might　otherwise　have　made；　but　he　exposes　the

people　to　suffer　before　the　end　of　the　season；　instead　of　the

hardships　of　a　dearth；　the　dreadful　horrors　of　a　famine。　It　is

the　interest　of　the　people　that　their　daily；　weekly；　and　monthly

consumption　should　be　proportioned　as　exactly　as　possible　to　the

supply　of　the　season。　The　interest　of　the　inland　corn　dealer　is

the　same。　By　supplying　them；　as　nearly　as　he　can　judge；　in　this

proportion；　he　is　likely　to　sell　all　his　corn　for　the　highest

price；　and　with　the　greatest　profit；　and　his　knowledge　of　the

state　of　the　crop；　and　of　his　daily；　weekly；　and　monthly　sales；

enable　him　to　judge；　with　more　or　less　accuracy；　how　far　they

really　are　supplied　in　this　manner。　Without　intending　the

interest　of　the　people；　he　is　necessarily　led；　by　a　regard　to　his

own　interest；　to　treat　them；　even　in　years　of　scarcity；　pretty

much　in　the　same　manner　as　the　prudent　master　of　a　vessel　is

sometimes　obliged　to　treat　his　crew。　When　he　foresees　that

provisions　are　likely　to　run　short；　he　puts　them　upon　short

allowance。　Though　from　excess　of　caution　he　should　sometimes　do

this　without　any　real　necessity；　yet　all　the　inconveniences　which

his　crew　can　thereby　suffer　are　inconsiderable　in　comparison　of

the　danger；　misery；　and　ruin　to　which　they　might　sometimes　be

exposed　by　a　less　provident　conduct。　Though　from　excess　of

avarice；　in　the　same　manner；　the　inland　corn　merchant　should

sometimes　raise　the　price　of　his　corn　somewhat　higher　than　the

scarcity　of　the　season　requires；　yet　all　the　inconveniences　which

the　people　can　suffer　from　this　conduct；　which　effectually

secures　them　from　a　famine　in　the　end　of　the　season；　are

inconsiderable　in　comparison　of　what　they　might　have　been　exposed

to　by　a　more　liberal　way　of　dealing　in　the　beginning　of　it。　The

corn　merchant　himself　is　likely　to　suffer　the　most　by　this　excess

of　avarice；　not　only　from　the　indignation　which　it　generally

excites　against　him；　but；　though　he　should　escape　the　effects　of

this　indignation；　from　the　quantity　of　corn　which　it　necessarily

leaves　upon　his　hands　in　the　end　of　the　season；　and　which；　if　the

next　season　happens　to　prove　favourable；　he　must　always　sell　for

a　much　lower　price　than　he　might　otherwise　have　had。

　　　　　Were　it　possible；　indeed；　for　one　great　company　of　merchants

to　possess　themselves　of　the　whole　crop　of　an　extensive　country；

it　might；　perhaps；　be　their　interest　to　deal　with　it　as　the　Dutch

are　said　to　do　with　the　spiceries　of　the　Moluccas；　to　destroy　or

throw　away　a　considerable　part　of　it　in　order　to　keep　up　the

price　of　the　rest。　But　it　is　scarce　possible；　even　by　the

violence　of　law；　to　establish　such　an　extensive　monopoly　with

regard　to　corn；　and；　wherever　the　law　leaves　the　trade　free；　it

is　of　all　commodities　the　least　liable　to　be　engrossed　or

monopolized　by　the　force　of　a　few　large　capitals；　which　buy　up

the　greater　part　of　it。　Not　only　its　value　far　exceeds　what　the

capitals　of　a　few　private　men　are　capable　of　purchasing；　but；

supposing　they　were　capable　of　purchasing　it；　the　manner　in　which

it　is　produced　renders　this　purchase　practicable。　As　in　every

civilised　country　it　is　the　commodity　of　which　the　annual

consumption　is　the　greatest；　so　a　greater　quantity　of　industry　is

annually　employed　in　producing　corn　than　in　producing　any　other

commodity。　When　it　first　comes　from　the　ground；　too；　it　is

necessarily　divided　among　a　greater　number　of　owners　than　any

other　commodity；　and　these　owners　can　never　be　collected　into　one

place　like　a　number　of　independent　manufacturers；　but　are

necessarily　scattered　through　all　the　different　corners　of　the

country。　These　first　owners　either　immediately　supply　the

consumers　in　their　own　neighbourhood；　or　they　supply　other　inland

dealers　who　supply　those　consumers。　The　inland　dealers　in　corn；

therefore；　including　both　the　farmer　and　the　baker；　are

necessarily　more　numerous　than　the　dealers　in　any　other

commodity；　and　their　dispersed　situation　renders　it　altogether

impossible　for　them　to　enter　into　any　general　combination。　If　in

a　year　of　scarcity；　therefore；　any　of　them　should　find　that　he

had　a　good　deal　more　corn　upon　hand　than；　at　the　current　price；

he　could　hope　to　dispose　of　before　the　end　of　the　season；　he

would　never　think　of　keeping　up　this　price　to　his　own　loss；　and

to　the　sole　benefit　of　his　rivals　and　competitors；　but　would

immediately　lower　it；　in　order　to　get　rid　of　his　corn　before　the

new　crop　began　to　come　in。　The　same　motives；　the　same　interests；

which　would　thus　regulate　the　conduct　of　any　one　dealer；　would

regulate　that　of　every　other；　and　oblige　them　all　in　general　to

sell　their　corn　at　the　price　which；　according　to　the　best　of

their　judgment；　was　most　suitable　to　the　scarcity　or　plenty　of

the　season。

　　　　　Whoever　examines　with　attention　the　history　of　the　dearths

and　famines　which　have　afflicted　any　part　of　Europe；　during

either　the　course　of　the　present　or　that　of　the　two　preceding

centuries；　of　several　of　which　we　have　pretty　exact　accounts；

will　find；　I　believe；　that　a　dearth　never　has　arisen　from　any

combination　among　the　inland　dealers　in　corn；　nor　from　any　other

cause　but　a　real　scarcity；　occasioned　sometimes　perhaps；　and　in

some　particular　places；　by　the　waste　of　war；　but　in　by　far　the

greatest　number　of　cases　by　the　fault　of　the　seasons；　and　that　a

famine　has　never　arisen　from　any　other　cause　but　the　violence　of

government　attempting；　by　improper　means；　to　remedy　the

inconveniences　of　a　dearth。

　　　　　In　an　extensive　corn　country；　between　all　the　different

parts　of　which　there　is　a　free　commerce　and　communication；　the

scarcity　occasioned　by　the　most　unfavourable　seasons　can　never　be

so　great　as　to　produce　a　famine；　and　the　scantiest　crop；　if

managed　with　frugality　and　economy；　will　maintain　through　the

year　the　same　number　of　people　that　are　commonly　fed　on　a　more

affluent　manner　by　one　of　moderate　plenty。　The　seasons　most

unfavourable　to　the　crop　are　those　of　excessive　drought　or

excessive　rain。　But　as　corn　grows　equally　upon　high　and　low

lands；　upon　grounds　that　are　disposed　to　be　too　wet；　and　upon

those　that　are　disposed　to　be　too　dry；　either　the　drought　or　the

rain　which　is　hurtful　to　one　part　of　the　country　is　favourable　to

another；　and　though　both　in　the　wet　and　in　the　dry　season　the

crop　is　a　good　deal　less　than　in　one　more　properly　tempered；　yet

in　both　what　is　lost　in　one　part　of　the　country　is　in　some

measure　compensated　by　what　is　gained　in　the　other。　In　rice

countries；　where　the　crop　not　only　requires　a　very　moist　soil；

but　where　in　a　certain　period　of　its　growing　it　must　be　laid

under　water；　the　effects　of　a　drought　are　much　more　dismal。　Even

in　such　countries；　however；　the　drought　is；　perhaps；　scarce　ever

so　universal　as　necessarily　to　occasion　a　famine；　if　the

government　would　allow　a　free　trade。　The　drought　in　Bengal；　a　few

years　ago；　might　probably　have　occasioned　a　very　great　dearth。

Some　improper　regulations；　some　injudicious　restraints　imposed　by

the　servants　of　the　East　India　Company　upon　the　rice　trade；

contributed；　perhaps；　to　turn　that　dearth　into　a　famine。

　　　　　When　the　government；　in　order　to　remedy　the　inconveniences

of　a　dearth；　orders　all　the　dealers　to　sell　their　corn　at　what　it

supposes　a　reasonable　price；　it　either　hinders　them　from　bringing

it　to　market；　which　may　sometimes　produce　a　famine　even　in　the

beginning　of　the　season；　or　if　they　bring　it　thither；　it　enables

the　people；　and　thereby　encourages　them　to　consume　it　so　fast　as

must　necessarily　produce　a　famine　before　the　end　of　the　season。

The　unlimited；　unrestrained　freedom　of　the　corn　trade；　as　it　is

the　only　effectual　preventative　of　the　miseries　of　a　famine；　so

it　is　the　best　palliative　of　the　inconveniences　of　a　dearth；　for

the　inconveniences　of　a　real　scarcity　cannot　be　remedied；　they

can　only　be　palliated。　No　trade　deserves　more　the　full　protection

of　the　law；　and　no　trade　requires　it　so　much；　because　no　trade　is

so　much　exposed　to　popular　odium。

　　　　　In　years　of　scarcity　the　inferior　ranks　of　people　impute

their　distress　to　the　avarice　of　the　corn　merchant；　who　becomes

the　object　of　their　hatred　and　indignation。　Instead　of　making

profit　upon　such　occasions；　therefore；　he　is　often　in　danger　of

being　utterly　ruined；　and　of　having　his　magazines　plundered　and

destroyed　by　their　violence。　It　is　in　years　of　scarcity；　however；

when　prices　are　high；　that　the　corn　merchant　expects　to　make　his

principal　profit。　He　is　generally　in　contract　with　some　farmers

to　furnish　him　for　a　certain　number　of　years　with　a　certain

quantity　of　corn　at　a　certain　price。　This　contract　price　is

settled　according　to　what　is　supposed　to　be　the　moderate　and

reasonable；　that　is；　the　ordinary　or　average　price；　which　before

the　late　years　of　scarcity　was　commonly　about　eight…and…twenty

shillings　for　the　quarter　of　wheat；　and　for　that　of　other　grain

in　proportion。　In　years　of　scarcity；　therefore；　the　corn　merchant

buys　a　great　part　of　his　corn　for　the　ordinary　price；　and　sells

it　for　a　much　higher。　That　this　extraordinary　profit；　however；　is

no　more　than　sufficient　to　put　his　trade　upon　a　fair　level　with

other　trades；　and　to　compensate　the　many　losses　which　he　sustains

upon　other　occasions；　both　from　the　perishable　nature　of　the

commodity　itself；　and　from　the　frequent　and　unforeseen

fluctuations　of　its　price；　seems　evident　enough；　from　this　single

circumstance；　that　great　fortunes　are　as　seldom　made　in　this　as

in　any　other　trade。　The　popular　odium；　however；　which　attends　it

in　years　of　scarcity；　the　only　years　in　which　it　can　be　very

profitable；　renders　people　of　character　and　fortune　averse　to

enter　into　it。　It　is　abandoned　to　an　inferior　set　of　dealers；　and

millers；　bakers；　mealmen；　and　meal　factors；　together　with　a

number　of　wretched　hucksters；　are　almost　the　only　middle　people

that；　in　the　home　market；　come　between　the　grower　and　the

consumer。

　　　　　The　ancient　policy　of　Europe；　instead　of　discountenancing

this　popular　odium　against　a　trade　so　beneficial　to　the　public；

seems；　on　the　contrary；　to　have　authorized　and　encouraged　it。

　　　　　By　the　5th　and　6th　of　Edward　VI；　c。　14；　it　was　enacted　that

whoever　should　buy　any　corn　or　grain　with　intent　to　sell　it

again；　should　be　reputed　an　unlawful　engrosser；　and　should；　for

the　first　fault；　suffer　two　months'　imprisonment；　and　forfeit　the

value　of　the　corn；　for　the　second；　suffer　six　months'

imprisonment；　and　forfeit　double　the　value；　and　for　the　third；　be

set　in　the　pillory；　suffer　imprisonment　during　the　king's