Fiscal Ballads

"Fiscal Ballads" by Harry Graham is a witty collection of poems from around 1905 that playfully pokes fun at the big arguments about money and trade back then. Writing as 'Col. D. Streamer', Graham uses everyday language to sound like regular working people, sharing what they thought about the economic and political changes that affected them. These poems cover topics like trade rules, protecting British businesses, and the problems everyday people faced. Through different characters, from skilled workers to people chatting about politics, Graham shows the confusion and annoyance with tariffs, imported goods, and how things were run with colonies. Each poem offers a funny take on the effects of protecting British businesses, like higher prices and how it hurt trade, as the narrator's humor captures what people were generally thinking during this important time in British history, making it fun and interesting for anyone who likes political commentary from the past.