The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-08-02
AMERICAN RAck.RENriNc.
The Dangerous Spread of the Irish system
In This Country.

San Francisco Call: The Legislature
of Illinois has undertaken to deal with
the case of Landlord Scully. 1t finds
1t tough job. Scully is an Irishman
who lives in London, England. Many
years ago he began to buy land in llli-
nois, and has added to his purchases
from time to time until now he owns
several score thousand acres. He lets
his land out in farms of fifty or loO
acres at low rents, his leases rarely ex-
ceeding three years in length, and now
generally covering single season only.
They are granted on the condition that
the tenant shall pay all taxes and make
all improvements. After the tenani
has broken the sod, built him house
and barn, planted some trees, dug
well or two, and made other improve
ments, Scully's agent values the hold
ing, and when the lease expires the
rent is raised to correspond to the in
creased value. If the tenant demurs at
being required to pay interest on his
own outlay, he is evicted, and the farm
reverts to the landlord, who leases it to
others. This is what is called rack
renting in Ireland. They have not yet
found name for it in Illinois.
The subject is interesting to us, be-
cause there are quite number of great
estates in this State which are held in
tact by wealthy men, with the view OF
renting them out to tenants precisely
as ScuIly has done. If the plan can be
carried out there is no investment fol-
money which promises to be as produc-
tive and as safe. In the years to come
! improved farms in this State, with
growing trees on them, will be sure to
Command good rents. For the land
lord to improve and plant them would
involve, a large outlay indeed. But II
the landlord can get his tenants to I'M
prove and plant and then get the land
hack into his hand with the increment
he will do fine stroke of business in
ldeed. We have no doubt that improved
farm land in good county in this
State will by and by rent for $40 an
lacre. The owner of 10, 900 acres will
have an income of 100000 a year,
which will not be dependent on the
Ifiuctuations of commerce or any other
yicissitudes. There are counties IN
California in which land capable of cul-
s. tiyation with water and labor can even
& now be bought for $40 an acre. A mar
who invested 800, 900 in a tract of sucf
LAND, and who got other people to i'm
prove it for him at their expense, st
that it eventually yielded him an annu
al income equal to his original outlay
would be reckoned quite smart in cir
leles where smartness compensates To-
J lack of other virtues.
In Illinois they are tackling Mr.
Scully with vigor at all events. Law
lperhaps of doubtful eonstitutionalit.
lhas already been passed invalidatin:
Iproyisions in any lease which require
! the tenant to pay the landlords taxes
, lAnother law has gone through botl
|, branches of the Legislature providing
first. that no foreigner shall hereafte
ACQUIRE land in Illinois except by be
looming naturalized, and. secondly, tina
lon the death of foreigner owning Ian
lin that State his property shall eschea
s to the State unless his heirs becom
? naturaliZed.
4 1t will strike outsiders that thes
measures do not quite reach the hear
8 of the evil. 1t is all right to throw i'm
pediments in the way of alien land
holding, but something more is needed
i, How are attempts to naturalize rack
e renting in this country to be met
There are Americans to the full a
e greedy of estates as foreigners. 1t
g not alone the accident of birth whic
# constitutes the danger; it is the plan
a ing of the landlord-and-tenant regim
in this country which ought to be di
Is couraged in all proper ways, whQeve
e may undertake it.
n The maintenance of American inst
n tutions depends upon the owneship
,e the land by the men who cultivate
If ever the land, rs rule, passes ini
" the hands of tenant class. democrat
institutions will be endangered. Powt
will go with the land, and Two class'
- will grow up in this country as the
have in European countries-the o
e, E. owning the land and possessing t
u lions share of political power a
II privilege, the other cultivating the la
~ and sinking generation by generate
oI nearer to a condition of serfdom.