Joseph Hume — Scottish Scientist born on January 22, 1777, died on February 20, 1855

Joseph Hume FRS was a Scottish doctor and Radical MP, born in Montrose, Angus... (wikipedia)

In Great Britain the price of food is at a higher level than in any other country, and consequently, the British artisan labours at a disadvantage in proportion to the higher rate of his food.
At the present moment the people of England are only three-quarters fed, and the result of this improvement in the export of our manufactures would be, that they would be entirely fed.
We ought, therefore, to lessen the price of food to our manufacturers, and place them more on a level with the manufacturers who have cheaper food, and also much lighter taxation.
Worse there cannot be; a better, I believe, there may be, by giving energy to the capital and skill of the country to produce exports, by increasing which, alone, can we flatter ourselves with the prospect of finding employment for that part of our population now unemployed.
So that a famine price is vague, and the plan subject to all the inconvenience now experienced.