Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-05-25
TENANT FARMING.
Some Of the Causes that Have Increased
the Number Of Tenants.

part OF the farming land In this coun.
try will in a somewhat near future b.
owned by one class of people aud occu-
pied and worked by another class. We
are very fast approaching to the condi-
ton of affairs that has long existed in
the British islands and in many Of the
countries on the continent of Europe
In several of the Western States and
Territories capitalists obtained large
bodies of land, which they subdivided.
improved to some extent, and leased to
persons who wished to work it ION
shares" In several of the older States
many of the dairy. stock, grain and
general purpose farms are let at cash
rental. Sometimes stock is let with the
| places and sometimes it is not Leasing
farms at an annual cash rental is more
common than former y, but is less gen.
eral in the newly settled States than in
those that are densely populated. When
tenants are engaged in dairy or truck
farming, they generally pay their rent
| in cash.
The census Of 1880 showed that more
than one-fourth of all the farms in the
United States were occupied and
! worked by tenants. That the number
| thus occupied is increasing year by
year is generally admitted. Observa-
ton shows that many who have sue
ceeded in farming aud who own good
places do not wish to remain in the
business all their days. After they be-
come advanced in years they desire to
take life somewhat easy, and if their
farms will support them they will
cave them and 60 to some large town
to live. If the farmers do not wish to
move to another town, their wives and
children do. The women desire society
and the children wish to attend high
school. Few farmers of good mean de-
size to be country gentlemen, and still
smaller number of country women
wish to spend all their lives on a farm.
| The attractions Of towns increase year
by year, while improvements in the
country are few. Wealthy farmers
who contemplate moving to town do
not care to spend much money in max
ag roads. building bridges. erecting
churches. or supporting schools.
AS the custom Of employing married
men to do farming work and Of allow
ing them to live in cottages on place
has never been common in this country,
Young men wish to marry and liv. In
the country generally rent farms. The
old maxim ''once tenant, always a
tenant" ordinarily holds good. The
man who is raising family and paving
rent can seldom save money enough to
buy and stock a farm. The tenant class
is increasing in all of the older States
1t is large in the South. and embraces
blacks us well as whites 1t is also
'argc in the newly settled States andTcr-
ritories. Many who obtained land I'M
Ter the homestead, presumption or tim
Der culture acts mortgaged it to pro-
,ure money to make improvements.
and, after years of hard labor. lost it.
They have not the strength or courage
to start again as landowners They
rent an improved place of some insur.
tnce company or individual money
lender. and spend their days as tenan,
farmers in a part of the country whore
land can be obtained for the trouble OF
settling upon it.
In several States there are many pro-
fessional landlords. They obtained
large blocks of land from railroad COM
panies. subdivided them. broke a part
nf the land. fenced in another portion,
erected buildings and are now making
a business of renting the farms. Others
have obtained large numbers of farms
by the foreclosure of mortgages These
professional landlords generally make
leases that are hard on tenants 1t has
often been observed that property that is
secure but which pays poorly generally
finds its way into the hands of wealthy
men. This is the case with our Ma
tional bonds. They draw small rate
Of interest, but they are secure and
they require no looking after As
farming land is not likely to burn up.
run away or get out of fashion. eau
tous capitalists are oftnn inclined to
invest in it, though il returns but a
small annual revenue. When there is
a prospect, as there is in most parts OF
the West. that land will steadily rise
in value in consequence of the extern.
sion of railroads and tho building OF
towns, the disposition to invest in i,
becomes strong.
, 1t is acknowledged by all who have
given attention to the matter that
farming land in Great Britain has been
steadily improving during a century,
though nearly all of it his been worked
by tenants 1t has also been claimed
that the condition of tenant farmers
and Of farm lahorers has greatly inn
proved. The like can not be said OF
rented farms and of tenant farmers in
this country. With few exceptions. g
farm begins to "run down" AS soon rs
it is leased. The tenant works it fol
what he can get out of it. He sells its
fertility by the ton OF bushel. and robs