Daily Republican., 1879-08-01

We have frequently referred to land
monopoly . one Of the threatened evils
Of the times, and We regret to say that
in this country the evil is on the
increase. There Is nothing which
tends SO much to cripple the prosperity
of country as the disposition to grab
up all the real estate that Is offered in
the market and hold 1t until it natur-
ally grows into money in the owners
hands. The prevailing distress amongst
the agriculturalists Of Great Britain is
in great measure attributable to the
crying evil OF land monopoly. Hon.
John Bright . member Of the British
Parliament, and whose name even in
this country is as familiar IS house
hold words, states that in England and
Wales 66 persons own 100000 acres
of land, and 954 persons own 5000, 200
or one fourth of the whole territory;
that in Scotland 70 persons own 9, AGO.
900 acres, and 100 persons own nine
tenths of the whole; that out of 20, 0OO,-
900 acres in Ireland 202 persons own
6, SOC, 900, and 744 persons own $780,,
900 acres or nearly one-half Of the
whole. In this country land mono
poly, we are glad to say does not pre-
vail to the extent that 1t does in Great
Britain, but the tendencies Of the times
are in that direction. Out IN California
and other Western States and Terri
tories it is no unusual thing to find per-
sons who own 20, 900 acres Of land which
they have gobbled up at presumption
rates lint in tho E--.~-- S.....s ahu
New England the man who attains to
the ownership Of 1000 acres may be
called the land monopolist. Even that
of acres of good land in these
modern days Of improved agriculture is
thought to be sufficient for ten FARMS
and one person, SO far as ownership is
monopolizes what should
belong to ten persons. Fortunately,
through the wise legislation that has
prevailed in this country, it is impossi-
BILE almost for person to become large
land owner and continue the owner.
ship in himself and his descendants
centuries of time. The system
Of promogeniture and entail hy which
this land monopoly was brought about
in Great Britain, happily does not pre-
vail in this country, and he who is so
fortunate as to come into possession of
large landed estates, we are glad to
know can only hold them SO long as he
il faithful steward, and whenever he
ceases to cultivate his land and make
It productive, IL will BE- swept away
rom him and become the property
If another person. In England, the
aw of entailment is perpetuated and
woven into the British Constitution,
md is older than the Magma Charta it.
self, and any attempt to disturb this
system must necessarily be regarded as
threatening the entire structure of En-
ylish society. There is no question
now more interests the people of Great
but while it is admitted that
The land ought to be subdivided into
small holdings, giving the people an
interest in the soil and chance to live
t is also admitted that to divide the
and without destroying English civili-
'atioh is almost an impossibility. The
problem is not pleasant one to con
and the current debates in
'arliament show that English states
nen of all shades of opinion recognize
is gravity. The evils of land monops.
y in this country are nothing compar-
ID to that in Great Britain, and owing
o the breaking of the law Of primogeni-
ure and entailment the evils cannot
prevail to the same extent. For this
he American people should be devout-
y thankful.