WCP3027

Letter (WCP3027.2995)

[1]

Malvernbury

Gt Malvern

May 5. 1879

Dear Sir

You cant define "unfair competition" — my definition would be "inequality of taxation on home & foreign produce" — all round you will find it hold [illeg.] water. -

Hypothetical cases shew a principle as well as actual cases, but Cases [2] of the kind are best stated as ABC cases.

No such result would necessarily follow as you suppose in the case of ale — all depends on taste water climate &c.

And if you come to "La propiete ce’st le vol" — It seems to me a maxim which if it became popular might become rather dangerous to a state.

I am inclined to the opinion that the existence [3] of men in a community depends on securing that which blun belongs to such should not be taken away & given to somebody else without his consent & without paying for it — so that here we must agree to differ.

Yrs faithfully | E S Cayley1 [signature]

Cayley, Edward Stillingfleet (1824-1884). J.P. British barrister and author, eldest son of Liberal Party politician and advocate of free trade Edward Stillingfleet Cayley (1802-1862).

Please cite as “WCP3027,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP3027