But the great and fatal blot in the Labour-rate Act was, that under its provisions the people could not be employed on works capable of making a profitable return.  Lord John Russell’s Government followed the precedent set by its predecessors as to the class of works upon which employment was to be given; but there was this important difference in their legislation,—­the former made no grants under their Labour-rate Act, while the latter supplied about half the cost of the Public Works from the Treasury, the remainder being a loan.  Against this Act several arguments were employed, and, for the most part, very cogent ones. 1.  It was said that as the country was taxed for the whole outlay, whatever it might be, the Government had no right to apply the money to unprofitable works, thus taking from our capital (already far too small) a vast sum that could not return to it. 2.  Moreover, no matter whence the money came, it was urged that to employ it on barren works was wrong in principle, especially in a country like Ireland, with millions of reclaimable acres, which would, if brought under cultivation, return in almost every case ten per cent, for capital expended. 3.  Again, it was put forward with reason, that the employment for the past year was meant to relieve transient distress only; but now the case was very different—­a new, a far more extensive and complete failure of the potato had occurred.  There was now no question of transient distress; the potato, the principal—­almost the only—­food of five millions of the people of Ireland, had not only failed a second time, but, to all appearance, had failed permanently and finally:  such was the apprehension at the moment.  In face of that alarming state of things, why talk of cutting down hills, or of making useless roads,—­provide rather some substitute for the doomed esculent, and let the labour-power of the country be, at least in the first instance, employed upon it, to secure food for the next year. 4.  Even if it were desirable to continue employing the people upon those public works, where were they to be always found?  “In many districts it was impossible last year to find useful public works.  Hills were cut down, and new roads made, which, under ordinary circumstances, no one would have thought worth the expense which they entailed on the baronies in which they were situated.  In such districts, where are hills and roads to be found upon which the people may, this year, be employed?"[126] Was it not passing strange, that, with such difficulties existing, the Government would neither apply labour to profitable work, nor even allow the old unfinished works to be completed?