Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-05-17
APPALLING FACTS.
OUR TENANT FARMERS HAVE
INCREASED.
Landiordism In Agricultural Districts OF
America rs shown by L. @. Powers,
Chief Statistlcian Division OF Agricul-
ture, u. s. Census Bureau.

|
tics of 1880 and 1890 will without
doubt be increased by those of 1900.
No formal reports for the latter year
have been given to the public as yet,
but the census authorities have pub
lished sufficient facts to enable one
familiar with farm tenure to make q
fairly correct forecast Of the condt-
lions existing in the nation. The
facts referred to are found in the
bulletins of population by minor civil
divisions and in the number Of farm
schedules returned by the enumerators
and special agents.
The number of farm schedules Is
5.7Ss,9p7, which is two to four per cent
in excess Of the actual number OF
farms that will be tabulated. The
number Of farms in 1900 will. there
fore, somewhat exceed $4,000. In
1890 the census reported 4,564,691
farms and 4,767,179 farm families. Ac-
cordingly in ten years from 100000
to 1,140,000 farms have been added to
those enumerated in 1890.
North Atlantic States.
In the north Atlantic states-Maine,
New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachu-
sets, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New
York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania
the farms in 1880 numbered 696, 1879,
and in 1890, 65S,569. In the latter
year the farm families numbered $780,
4O7; in 1900 the farms are, approx
matei. $4,000. The figures quoted
make it clear that the number Of
farms in these states, and hence the
number of families of farm propri-
etors-that is, of owners and tenants
has not suffered diminution in the
last ten years; but while the number
of families in these two classes did
not become less, the total rural popu-
lation, including also the families of
wage laborers, in nearly all of the
states decreased. The decrease has
consequently been in families whose
heads or chief members gain their
support by working for wages on
farms.
Such decrease indicates a shift
ing Of farm population. Some famil-
les have moved from the country to
the city and some have left their ma
tive states for other sections of the ma
ton. These removals also have been
accompanied by an economic readjust-
ment among the families remaining.
The net result of that rea1justment
is the rise of a number of families
from the position Of wage earners in
1890 to that of farm owners or ten
ants in 1900. OF those thus rising, it
is certain that larger actual and rel
alive number have become farm ten
ants than have attained to the more
Independent position of farm owners.
Under these circumstances it can be
declared with large degree of GER
tainty that the actual and relative
proportion of farms operated by ten
ants in the north Atlantic states will
be found when all data are tabulated
to be greater than it was ten or TWEEN
ty years ago. The percentage of
farms operated by tenants in the
states in 1890 was 16; in 1890, 1874,
and we may confidently expect that
in 1900 It will be in excess of 20.
South Atlantic states.
In the south Atlantic states-Dela-
ware, Maryland, District of Columbia,
Virginia, West Virginia, North Caro-
lima, South Caroline, Georgia and
Florida-the schedules returned indi-
cate the existence in 1900 of substan-
TALLY $4,000 to 100000 farms. The
corresponding number of farms in
1890 was 749,60O. At the same time
( IT, 96 farm families were reported.
The number of farms increased in ten
years between 100000 and 100000, or
from "a to q per cent. Exclusive of
cities of $4,000 and over, the popula-
ton of these states increased in the
ten years only Is per cent; but since
1890 the population in the smaller cit
les and towns has increased relatively
much faster than the agricultural
population proper. The percentage
of increase of that poulation cannot
exceed 10.
These facts make 1t certain that the
increase in the number OF farms has
been much greater relatively than
that of the population engaged in till
ing them. The farm proprietors, own
ers and tenants as reported have,
therefore, increased faster than the
farm families. They have been re-
cruited in part from the ranks of
former families Of wage earners.
Among the farm families Of the south,
whose number includes very many
negroes, fewer relatively than in the
north have risen or are rising from
wage service to farm ownership, and
hence there must be large relative
increase of tenant-operated farms.
In the "Black Belt"
The percentage of farms operated
by tenants, which was 36.1 in 1880.
rose to 3S.5 in 1890, will doubtless be
found to have increased still more in
1900. In that year it will probably
exceed As. This great relative esti-
mated increase in farm tenants is
predicted upon the number of farm
schedules and the population. Many
~ tho o00 mn additional farms in