Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-03-22


two countries. The class Of yeomen
still exists in some parts of it, and
there is also certain number of small.
Ter proprietors. These, however, can.
not be ranked as a class of peasant
proprietors. Such class does not ex-
ist in England. The small properties
are for the most part in the neighb0r
hood of towns, where they consist of
villas, market gardens or other small
plots.
In France an area Of about half as
large again as the United Kingdom is
owned by nearly :, 500, 900 proprietors
of agricultural land, of whom 5,OO0,-
600 of peasant farmers own one.third
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 throug:, the
whole society of France. The gross
farming produce per acre of France
may not be so great as in England, but
this is equally observable when CON-
pairing the large farms of France, of
which there are more than l30, 600,
with the large farms of this country.
AS compared with the small farmers
of France, hiring the land Of others.
the small owners unquestionably are
vastly better in every respect,a and they
hold their own even beside the large
farmers. There may be some defects
in the system Of small owners the
process may be carried too far in
France but at least it has raised the
status Of the lower classes there, has
almost abolished pauperism in the
rural districts, and has endowed the
people with such universal habits of
thrift as are almost unknown in the
people of the same class in this coun-
try. It is not the fact, as commonly
stated, that the peasant proprietOrs of
France are loaded with debt; the aver
age mortgages on these farms are
known to be no more than ten per cent.
Of their value; while the best evidence
that they are able to accumulate
money is to be found in the fact that
the peasants have been the main sub.
scribers to the great loans which have
been raised in France, and that at the
present time the French debt to the
amount of fl.OOO.000 of our money is
held by 1900, 900 of persons. while
British consols to amount Of f700, 900, .
600 are held by not more than $780,
600 persons. It will be said, of
course, that the climate and soil
of France differ from England so
much that no comparison can be
drawn between them. This may be
admitted as regards the central and
southern parts Of Frace, where the
cultivation of the vine and olive is
specially suited to present owners ;
but its northern and western provinces
are in no way different from the
greater part of England. The garden
Of France is unquestionably Norman.
dy, the climate and soil of which diff.
fer in no essential quality from those
of the South of England, and which
especially resemble such counties as
Kent and Somersetshire. In Nor.
mandy there is greater variety in the
ownership Of property than in any
other part Of France large estates
with resident owners are numerous,
but still moe SO are small properties ;
there is an immense number of peas.
ant proprietors, but they do not mo.
nopolize the land as in some parts of
| France. III had to point out the
happiest part in Fra1ce,'' says Mon.
sieur de Lavergne. 'sIshould not hes.
itate to select Normandy. Population
there increases slowly in proportion ia
wealth while its wealth has increased
four.fold since 1850 its population has
| increased nv One.third Onlv In manv
rural communes there is not a single
pauper." The case of Normandy il
especially instructive, as it shows
what is the result Of happy combina
ton of every variety Of large owners
and small owners of land, farmed by
tenants, and of peasants farming Their
own land. In the more northern prov
inces Of France property is even more
divided, and gives admirable results
though perhaps the net produce after
taking into account the number of cul
tivators are not so great.