The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-08-26 00:00:00

MR. CHAPLIN'S ROYAL COMMISSION.

The farmers in vsaious parts of the country ars
Openly invoking the Baal of protection, and Pinny
ma*, of Parliament betray • tendency to adopt
their Tien Although for the MONIS the adoption of
stath a petk; would be the fintstep towards eta:ration,
the ream. NA quite Intelligible why it should find
favour with broh -lasses of advocates. In the eyes of
the fanner England and its inhabitants exist for the
flue purpose a uppor:ialr agriculture, and he reganis
pied tire. for the far.„ll as the one component of
rational prosperity. Larnilords, on their side, ars
*Main to feel uneasy, and b. remission of rent is
either healthy nor invigoratidg, but exhaustive.
Parliamentary landlord', too, feel it :ocumbont on them
to ahoy some sympathy with the farmers, sad where
can they find a cheaper medium for doing so than in
the cry for protection? The importance of a Royal
Commiasiou to enquire into all the causes that bear
" the Prooont agricultural depression depends on
neowity. If the commission wore really to give
its attention to everything concerning agriculture and
die food supply, and to report this result colasoienti-
°Par. our existing land system would from that
moment he doomed Until the laws relating to land
We fandanientally altered, the soil of England can by
no Pomibility attain to its maximum productivity.
Acceeding to the most moderate eatimate, the land
capable of yielding ons-third mon than it
does ; Lord Derby, indeed, goes so far ax to say
the crops might be doubled. It is to this increase
prWitoivity that the farmers should look for
rsther than to that phantom protection.
Foe this increase of fertility the application of further
estatal to the land in required, and this is all but ion
Pftsible under our land laws. Our land system is
meeely a cunningly-f earned schema for maintaining the
Imps pride of the landed gentry. We SOT advisedly
their family_ pride, for in pocket they ars actually
OfMlllll. The system of settlements keeps the land-
lords—landowners they are not -in • condition of
eltreak poverty. fluxing the necessarily uncertain
01 thir lives, they must get all they can out of
As lend for the benefit of their younger children.
Would they wish to salt part of their estates to
imp ',vs the other part with the proceeds of the sale,
they all ea unable to do this as they would be to raise
Wary 00 the crown jewels. Finally, to prevent this
disability , wising to an end, the condition of the eldest
ma's Awe* as increased allowance on coming of
age is that be
.elsould forge similar Miens for himself.
In short, Land it; settlement is land without an owner.
la Law the fa,n sr should take it into his head to
,bsnettt his country Sy increasing production, the law
every care ILA he should only do so at his own
pwiL Should he sink telt in
the
ii 6 1° mach
the hew, tee the I,h, whose is thus
tix.."Ned in value, es at, comparatively raze;
"st WOW whin they,,, gratified they are insulßoiant
/L i". OP best .bj. coltivation. For the last
Plano( his wenre th. tawn-it "farms for Leaving
that is toes,. he take. ee much as tamable out of this
bu'd
with I" lesst possible expenditure of capital.
The Government make a great parade of their Agri-
"altund Holdings Act, which was Passed to eye the
Imam a dem for unexhaueted improvements. This,
"ever, like all the other performances of the
er.snioseut, except its deficit, is a mere sham. The
'sus knew what they wises about, and made the
gal Permissive instead .4 compulsory ; and se everriao
ought have expected, their friends the landlords take
' "Wage of the I.s.phole end oontract themselves
nt of the prorieiona of the Ara. This is a false
?retrace of Law. The lead laws require rovidow, but
t is hardly to be expo ted that • Royal Commission
°Palmed mainly of landlords will recouniumid its
Pion in the sense we have pointed out ; still tom is
ilittly the Present Ileums of Commons will decree it,
title full time to hair• done with the Government
°I 'she Prwwwes.