The Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1882-1883, 1883-05-04
RACK RENT.

know what this word means. will
xvlain rs we'll as can 10 done in a
short newspaper article by reiersnce
to historical! facts AMI passing events
aad then roirt ont the applical OF in
q way that some ci Ito reader, o! the
Signi. wei under I Cd The princi.
lie involved in Rack R,nt is the
cause Of all the trouble in ireland 4,
such as makes man murder his fellow
man aud evsu' now threatens tho use
.. destructive 'xpiosivcs to blow up
public houses q, q kill indiscri,ninats
~. This is douo Ivy tho occupants OF
~ land and those who cultivate the
soil. but who do not own it They
or their ancestors commenced in les.
secs years ago whom Tho land was TN.
improved and The rert vsry low. In
fact the land owners were glad to Sc
euro t'neuts upon any terms. Those
occupants made improvements more
or less valuable, than the land ords
who lived away, claimed increased
rent according as tie increased value
would warrant; 30 that he was paid
more in proportion to the work the
tenant might have put on his Own
homestead. This paying rent upon
his own labor end outlay Of his own
money is callOd RACK RENT. To Rerp
fr,e O; this Rack Rent the greater
number refuse 10 improve their prem
ises and live all their lives in such
poor houses as may b. soon all oser
LELAND. New York WAS in this con-
dition about fifty years ago. One OF
the old Dutch families which owned
lAnl by the county, had leased land
to occupants for q worry low grouLd
rent: in some cares, only fat turkey
on Christmas day was the rent OF
several acres Of land; generally the
rent was to DO paid in wheat. In
all GU es the rent was inco, slider bio
Tue lessets would improve at pleas.
ure and buy and sell them real es-
tate. VII ch would pass by will or
descent, subject 10 the small rent
After awhile the old PATRON, as h..
wai called, died. and his children | o.
lug ex'ravagant wanted moro inon-
ey. 10 they claimed increased rent Oh
their land. The Legislature passed
awe to allow assessments upon those
lands and improvements with collec'
tions in money instead of q turkey or
wheat. Tue people refused to pay
the tax upon the valuo OF property
increased by their labor and money
It will be remembered that several OF
Of the tax collectors were killed and
it was required to call out the public
soldi+ry t. enforce law. Too Same
under current OF feeling prevails iu
Mississippi uow;in o small way it
may BE-; but it is the cause OF the
slow progress in the improvements
OF our lwnds. Renters cannot be in
due d to bcstow much labor upon
their surroundings, because rs thoy
say. the rent will be Increased next
year and they must pay in advance
or give place to some one who will
oe glad to get place with house re-
paired and fences in good order.
They do not understand Rack Rent,
but they act out the idea OF refusing
to do wha. those mentioned have
done in Ireland and New York.
Somsthing like this condition Of
,hings is now pressing Hazlehurst.
Some land owner long ago left his
premises in township 10, range 8.
east, where he could not M Ike a iv-
ing and sought q better place. OH
or poople came into the deserted To-
cation and after years Of lebor and
outlay Ct money, wrought such Q
change as to mako The old fields val.