Daily Republican., 1886-01-16
n.amss mna Farms

Thomas y. Gall has been editor OF the
Catholic World in New York, bat re-
turning TO ireland he has been elected
q Nationalist mem Der OF the House OF
Parliament, from south LsAth, and
with his experience in this country he
will no doubt make an influential and
active member Of Parliament. Mr.
Gill, in an article in the January num-
br OF the North American Review, for
which he Is q selected writer, gives
some startling figures In regard to land
and tenure In the United States, and
in which he makes 1t appear that our
country 10 more lApd-ridden than Great
Britain.
The census Of 1880 gives 1,024, 900
farms rented by tenants In this num-
ber, which II is estImated has since the
census bean increased by twenty-five
Per cent, carrying the total up to
1,25e, 600 In Ireland the tenant farms
are 547 ,222, in England and Wales Ala. :
S04, and in Scotland 80, l0l total for
Great Britain 1,o69, l27.
Mr.. Gin carries his com parsons
farther and shows that the total mum
Der OF persons engaged in agriculture
In the United States In 1880 was $40,
493, and that 2, 9S4. 500 are returned 3.
nominal owners OF the lands, the re.
mainder being tenants, farmers and
Iaborers.
These owners in fee are given as
holding from thres acres up TO on,
thousand Mr.. Gill says the insuirel
would be astonished 70 hud the extern
TO which these far ms in the Western
States and Territories are loaded will
mortgages and other forms Of debt. 1
Ii o very rare thing TO come across 1
farmer in that section who has not I
mortgage or bill Of some kind falling
due on his land, il he Is an owner o
land, or on his crops, stock and ma
chinery IL he be tenant.
Were the farmers hopelessl,
swAmped In debt TO the real es.at
money lender as eliminated from tn
census .returns Of farms owned in fee
Mr.. Gin is still ceftain that even tn
surprisingly small number Of 2,7S4, 80
landed p-oprietors would be shrivele'
up to 3 Interestingly small number
Diver land laws, loosely contributed
the Ii ks of dishonest spectators
taking advantage Of the lavish and loos
laws, and Of the ignorance, improvi
dence ard necessities of the settlers, ar
the causes mainly TO which he Attri
tributes this state OF things.
To show how soon this win be com
live question, Gro wding for . solution
the writer says that In 1879 the arab
land In the West still held by Il
Governmt mt was more than the area
Ohio, rs $40, $50 acres. OF this 900
900 wAs taken in the year 1880, and SIM
then 80 much has been absorbed that
is q large estimate that holds 8, 000, on
to be snI available. Mr.. gill gives
table in which the States are Rroupe
In which the number of tenant farm
are given, which startlingly illustrate
his Argn ment. 70 older States hgul
comparatively low as tenant holder
except The South, - he 9 the presen
OF the hegroes, once the slaves, cons
tute the body Of the small tenant
The W estern States show as many tel
ants Is the South, in proportion ev
to the population, and go far to veri
the correctness OIL Mr.. Gill's reckoning
Unless he has made most gross ins
uracies N hts statement, and we
not believe he has, Mr.. Gill has pr
scented q subject which demands t
most mature aud prudent considera.i
OF our statesmen.