The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-11-03
~ FlSE~
MssEARFn@GARpEN
TSS ----
THE RELATION OF FARM LANDLORD
AND TENANT.
BY d. u. SHOOK, FRANKLIN.

tenant and to tell how they come about is
easy enough, but to find a remedy would
be as difficult as to solve the great problem
between capital and labor generally. One
thing is certain, hard times and low priced
products tend greatly to intensity the
often strained relations, because neither
side is content with what he is getting.
1t has been said that the landlord writes
up the article of agreement between him
selves and tenant and beats the tenant at
every point until the tenant moves on the
farm, and then the tenant beats the land
lord at every point and in every transact
ion until he moves off the land. Such
a tenant leaves the premises in racked
and uncared-for condition, and thus gets a
bad reputation as farmer, and by this
questionable method to get even with the
grasping landlord, loses his reputation for
honesty and integrity, and with these dis
advantages starts out to rent another
farm.
The landlord looks around for another
tenant to take the farm at his own hard
terms and generally succeeds in either
getting an incompetent man or another
downright rascal, for an honest man cannot
accept the terms. Very often the sons or
wife of the tenant are at the bottom of the
discussions and disagreements with the
the landlord; they are the disturbing power
behind the throne, and while the tenant
may have signed the agreement in good
faith, the boys and wife manage to have it
broken. Most hostile sentiments are some
times expressed towards the landlord or
are hidden in the hearts of the Sons and
they are resentful, for they believe that
their labor is keeping the landlord and his
family in idleness and luxury. So much
has this evil feature grown, at least in
southern Pennsylvania, that landlords now
first make diligent inquiry regarding the
disposition and character of the applicants
wife and family before entering into negoti
ations looking to the renting of their
farms.
Greatly changed conditions in agriculture
and low prices for products have somewhat
changed the relation between landlord and
tenant, and yet it must be acknowledged
that these changes have affected the land
lord more adversely than the tenant. The
tenant who farms for the half, as we call
it in southern Pennsylvania, generally
gets all the hay and fodder, gets good
remuneratlve prices for his dairy products
hogs and poultry, and. consequently, has
has only suffered from the fall in the price
of wheat, for he has the opportunity of
turning his share of the corn into well
paying products by feeding it, and even
doing the same protitably with his wheat
while the landlord gets his whole share in
the unremunerative cereals
The tenant farmer, now in many
instances, knowing that wheat raising is
not paying, neglects the proper tillage of
the soil and naturally devotes his attention
to such branches of farming as are more
remunerative and especially to products of
which he receives all. His garden and
potato patch are heavily MANFRED and
cultivated while much time
that should be given to the wheat field is
given to the care of his cows poultry and
other stock, and thus the landlords share
is made to grow beautifully less
Great efforts are being put forth in Penn
Sylvania to induce the farmers to adjust
themselves to the greatly changed condit-
on of their calling. But my experience
N farmers institute work teaches me that
the tenant farmer is not being reached.
Dur audiences are the land owners and
ew if any, tenant farmers are found in
such meetings. Thus we are educating the
landlord ahead of the tenant in improved
methods and advanced ideas, and are Great
ny discord, for the progressive land
'wner desires to put i % practice what he
has learned, while the uninformed tenants
igorously oppose it
dSluIlhS tlle Etnu Is one OF the most
expensive practices, and yet tenants hold
to this system, doing as their
orefathcrs did when land was cheap and
he forests afforded succulent grasses and
shade and protection to droves of stock. /
But conditions have changed, the forests
ire gone, waste lands are taken up, hay is
paying product and we must utilieZ to
he very best advantage all our resources
~ soiling our cattle. Instead of keeping
me COW for each five acres we must keep
i've COWS for each acre.
Many tenants will even insist on pastur-
ny their hogs when they know that no
weight will be gained in this way; in fact
logs can scarcely find living in the fields
until outraged nature comes to their rescue
md grows a snout half as long as your arm
md as keen as an Oliver chilled pillow.
when, armed with this weapon and inspired
by hunger, they do not rush over a precipice
md perish, as they ought to do, hut 90
Town over the farm, leaving destruction
and wreck in their path.
We have case in the Bible where sharp
practice on the part of the landlord
begat like treatment from the tenant
Jacob made contract with Laban to farm
II.