The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1909-02-11
Renting Land.

About the first ~ March many !
tenant farmers will renew their leases
on the same, or different terms, and
Others will vacate aud rent new
ylaces. The relation OF landlord and
tenant is an important one. In a
good many cases the people who en-
ter into this relation have very
vague and mad quate idea OF whatit
involves. Very oiten she contract
between the parties provides for
nothing but the mere matters Of use
and occupancy for certain time and
the payment OF u certain amount OF
rent In either crops or money, leav
Ing all "details unprovided for, and
likely to be the subject OF disagree.
ment between shem and possibly lit
igation. This is especially true OF
contracts for one year, which are not
required by law to be In wrising 1t
is true that where renting contract
is barren as to details the law implies
certain duties and obligations on the
part OF both landlord and tenant
to each other, but 1t often requires
lawsuit to determine exactly what
they are In q given case. A landlord
is generally under no obligations to
make repairs on the rented premises
unless he expressly agreed to do so,
while tenant Is required 80 make
fair and reasonable repairs so as TO
prevent waste and decay, such as re-
pairing doors and windows broken
during his occupancy, putting up
fences torn down by wind, or other
causes, but he is not required TO
make substantial or permanent re-
pairs, nor TO replace buildings which
are destroyed by fire, flood or other
accidental cause, unless he expressly
agreed to do so. In short, he is re-
quired to so keep the place ss tenant
that at the expiration OF his term he
will surrender 1t In as good condi-
tlon as it was when he entered Is, ex.
cept as affected by ordinary wear
and tear and inevitable accidents.
The law allows q farm tenant to re-
move at the end OF his term the I'm
provements which he has put upon
the premises for his own use and
benefit, provided they are Of tempo.
rsry nature, and can be removed
without injury to the premises
sometimes 1t requires q Lawsuits to
determine these matters. An I'm
provement may be OF such a chsrac-
ter-so close to the line, that a law
Ger cannot make the rit hit guess as
to whether 1t Is fixture or merely
personal property which the tenant
has a right to remove; and even a
district Judge might make a mistake
about 1t, and haue to be reversed by
the supreme court.
In view Of the foregoing considera-
tians, parties to leases should put
certainty into their contracts about
a number Of important details. The
folio wing matters, at least, should
be definitely settled by express agree
ment, whether the lease be written Oh
oral: First, an exact and accurate
description Of the rented premises
second, when the lease is to begir
and when 1t is to end; third, what
rent is to be paid, and when ant
where, II cssh-or il the rent be par,
oithe crop, how much, and when ant
where II Is to be deliuered; fourth
what is to be done abou STRAW
stalks and manure; fiith, what tenn
porary improvements the tenan
may put upon the premises with tn
privilege of removing them; sixth
what repairs, II any, the landlord 4
to make. Leases for more than on
year are required by law TO be Il
writing and signed, In order to bin'
the parties. A written lease shoul'
Ia ynada In dunllca IA ona u, Al