The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-11-15
BY ISAAC l., TOTEM.

time ago, an article in which the
writer tried to prove, with figures that
wouldn't prove, that, OF all the labor
ing class today. the farm tanfn tecelv-
ed the worst end of the deai.hhtn
He says: Paying the rent means
no telephone, no plumbing, no ma
nure spreader, probably no hay load
er, no exhibit at the county fair, 1t
means that the wifes best dress, the
daughters best hat, and the paint on
the barn must last longer and grow
shabier and that the boy must go
without his air gun.
These rented farms pay old age
pensions to the retired farmer and his
retired wife, and unless you mean TO
scrap them, you must pay them old
age pensions.
when the old farmer dies, it be-
comes young age pension for his son
who, instead of going back to work
the land, is not unapt to put OH a
derby hat, and go into the livery bust
ness, with pool and politics as a side
line"
He also says, that renting the land
the average tenant wants to get all
that he can out of the land in the limit
ed time that he is in possession.
Much of what he says is true, yet
we do not believe that it is generally
true throughout this locality.
We do not know what per cent of
the farmers in this county are rent
ers; but we imagine that it is about
the same as elsewhere; about thirty
three and third per cent, or per-
haps more. If such is the case, and
the appearance of the farms indicate
the thrift of the tenant, they must be
generally prosperous.
Some of the farms here, OF course,
have been badly run by tenants; but
just as many have been run to death
by the owners themselves. There
seems to be a tendency now, how
ever for the tenant as we'll as the
landlord to improve the producing
value of the land. In most cases
here the cropping of the soil is not left
entirely to the judgment of the tenant,
the owners are mainly up-to-date in
their ideas, and they dictate to great
extent the clovering, rotation etc. In
this way they prevent the overzeal-
Gus renter from saping the life from
the soil.
1t Is our opinion that the farm rent
er today in this county has about as
good, if not a better opportunity to
make money, on a given amount of
capital, than those in otheE, occupa
tons. His work is done dn profit
sharing basis. For the time He is on
the farm, he is a partner in business
with the landlord. He puts up his
work and the investment in equipment
against the investment in the land by
the owner.
On hundred acre farm, this means
that the owners investment is some
where near ten or fifteen thousand dol
lars. and the renters investment is the
price of his equipment, and reason
able wage for himself and his help.
There are not many other occupa-
tons that are on the profit sharing
basis; there are not many other occu-
pations that affords the opportunity
to be ones own boss, that is with the
small amount of capital required to be-
come farm renter
1t is a fact, of course, that the hcwn-
er does live off the labor of the tenant,
yet, under our present system. he is
entitled to a fair return for hs in
vestment in the land. The ownsr is
renter.
AS to the old age pension for the
landlord, we believe he is doing moth
ing worse than anyone else would do
under existing conditions: for is it
not the ambition of every one to pro-
landlord may possess more Of this
worlds goods than he will ever require
to keep away the pangs of hunger,
etc, in old age, yet he comes nearer
sharing the profits of his wealth with
others than do those in other &nes
of business. This does not indtfate
that the land owner is anymore phil
anthropical than others; becausN his
profit sharing methods are due pore
to custom than to liberality. +
Let us say for the sake Of the Opt
mistic, that all tenants and all land
lords are good. The Colonel says:
"All whiskey is good whiskey; there's
just different degrees Of goodness"
And SO we may say Of landlords and
tenants; there's just different degrees
of goodness.
Yes, it's true, there are grouches;
but they are found on both sides Of the
fence. Both the owner and the renter
are pretty much of the same clay We
find landlords that are exceptionally
generous, and We find renters of the
same character; We find tightwads, too
in both classes, so there you 4are.
Some owners do not take any ifide
in the appearance of their prop&fty,
they permit the buildings to get Unto
the Peter Tumble-down" dAss,
which gives to the farmsteadsa gkore
unsightly appearance than if it had
never been improved at all. Yet, is it
not fact that some renters are as
bad and some far worse?
We have digressed, now let US see
about the prosperity OF the tenant:
At the present time we cannot call
to mind one instance where the rent
er is not making money. In fact, as