Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-01-18
'El1E RENTING SYSTEM.
Some observations in the West


To the Eltor Of the Free Press aud Times.
Neal Dow in the Portland Press. writes of
a feature Of farming that he observed in
Central Illinois, feature that is not confined
TO tie leading State in the West, but seen
elsewhere East Us well as West aud that de-
mands thoughtful consideration on the part
of political economists, all patriotic citizens
and lovers of home and country. 81 have
been struck be writes, "with the poor look
of the farm houses and farm buildings in this
State. The houses are small and cheap.
seeming to have only Two rooms, often in
bad condition and the barns, if any, are
small and poor. | could not understand
how It could be that upon the most fertile
laul in any country The farmers could be 50
poo; as their dwellings seemed to indicate
They reminded me Of the farm houses and
farm buildings in Maine in the old rum time,
when our people used to spcud III strong
driak the entire value of all our property in
every period OF less than twenty years.
sp.k C OF this TO a gentleman who called
upon me, and sugg, stel that it must come
from whiskey, beer aud tobacco. No..
he said, the farmers as rule, are not a
drinking people. They were formerly drunk
." wv DI' ', nn aIm {uI,S, 'nIy nave ue
renters and not owDers of their farms.
The lind is owned in Large blocks by rich
pr.prilt1rs who will not sell but rent it for
payment ~ kind, twelve to fifteen bushels
OF corn for each acre. The farmers, there
fore, have no lndGcemeut to have good
h0us' 5 aud barus, or to improve the land
Their interest Is To skin it, ard to spend
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