The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-03-29
landowners in England and France.

Inc UOLdI number VI 1dHu-OVAOAo AAA
the United Kingdom has already been
shown to be under 100000. VI these
523 Peers own between them one-h1th
of the total area Of the three countries
exclusive Of immortal wastes ana
woods of which they may be possessed. |
3 900 nersons own about two thirds or
the whole area, averaging 10000 acres
each. and 10000 persons own about
three-fourths, averaging 5000 acres
each. Dividing the owners OF land IN
to four classes, there are 5000 large
nroprietors, averaging 10000 acres
each: $4,000 medium-sized proprletors
or sauires. with from 5000 to 2.OOO
acres each:25, 900 persons owning from
so to 500 acres each, and 100000 own
ing less than so acres each. The pro-
horizons of these classes vary very
much in the three countries. In Scot
land more than half the land consists
of mountain and moor, Of very little
agricultural value, and held in i'm
mense blocks. The remaining halt is
owned by a very small number OF per-
sons-the classes OF yeomen AND peas
ant proprietors do not exist there. Inc
same must be said OF Ireland, where,
Notwithstanding the effects OF the En-
numbered Estates act, under which,
since I748. upward of one-slxth OF the
country has been sold, the number OF
landowners is most consplcuously
small. In England the number is pro-
nortionally larger than in the other
two countries. The class OF yeomen
still exists in some parts OF 1t, and
there is also a certain number OF small
Ter nroprietors. These, however, can
not be ranked as a class OF peasant
pronrietors. Such class does not eX-
list in England. The small properties
are for the most part in the neighbor.
hood Of towns, where they consist of
villas, market gardens OF other small
plots.
In France an area of about half as
large again as the United Kingdom is
owned by nearly 100000 proprietors
of agricultural land, of whom 5,OOO,.
900 Of peasant farmers own One-thlrd
Of the whole area, with what result
is every day becoming better
known and more fully recognized in
this country. The industry and thrift
of these peasant owners are marvellous
and spread their effect through the
whole society Of France. The gross
farming produce per acre OF France
may not be SO great as In England, bu'
this is equally observable when com
pairing the large farms OF France, OF
which there are more than 10000
with the large farms Of this country
AS compared with the small farmer:
of France, hiring the land of others
the small owners unqueStiOnably arr
vastly better in every respect, land they
hold their own even beside the large
farmers. There may be some defects
in the system Of small owners thu
process may be carried too far II
France but at least it has raised tn
status of the lower classes there, ha
almost abolished pauperism in tn
rural districts, and has endowed tn
peOple with such universal habits Q
thrift as are almost unknown IN tn
people of the same class III this coun
try. II is not the fact, as commonl
stated, that the peasant prOprletorS Q
France are loaded with debt; the aver
age mortgages on these farms ar
known to be no more than ten per cent
of their value; while the. best evidenc
that they are able to accumulat
money is to be found in the fact tina
the peasants have been the main sui
scribers to the great loans which hav
been raised in France, and that at Tn
present time the French debt to tn
amount of FL 100000 OF our money
held by 4,000,O00 of persons. Will
British cOnsOlS to amount OF tiOO.OUu
900 are held by not more than 2ol
600 persons. 1t will be SAID,
course, that the climate and sc
of France differ from England
much that no comparison can
drawn between them. This may
admitted as regards the central al
southern parts of Face, where t
cultivation of the vine and olive
specially suited to present owner
hut it's northern and western PROVING
are in no way different from t
greater part of England. The gard
of France is unquestionably Norma
DIV. the climate and soil OF which q
fer in no essential quality from tho
of the South of England, and VIM
especially resemble such counties
Kent and SomersetShire. In \
mandy there is a greater variety IN
ownership of property than IN
other part of France large esta
with resident owners are numero
but still more SO are small propertlt
there is an immense number OF pc
ant proprietors, but they do not I
nopolize the land as i'll some parts
France. If | had to point out
happiest part IL France says NJ
sieur de Lavergne. Il should not b
itate to select Normandy. Populat
there increases slowly in proportion
wealth while its wealth has increa
four-fold since 1889 its population
increased by one-third only. In m
rural communes there is not slr
nauper." The case Of Normand.
especially instructive, as it sh
what is the result of happy comb
ton of every variety of large owl
and small owners of land, farmed
tenants, and of peasants farming t
own land. In the more northern
inces of France property is even
divided. and gives admirable res
though perhaps the net produce 9
tar;nr into arconnt the number or