Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-10-02
AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS IN
GREAT BRITAIN AND IRE
LAND.

(By Jas. Wilson and Henry Wallace
At the suggestion Of the thirty-f1fth
general assembly Of the state Of Iowa,
and by appointmentSof Governor
Clarke, we gave much time during our
recent visit to Great Britain and Ire.
land, to the study Of agricultural con.
ditions. in the hope that we might find
methods or customs or laws which
might safely be adopted under Iowa
conditions, that would lead to- better
farming and better rural life, and
that might arrest the waste Of soil fer.
tility which has been characteristic of
our methods of farming ever since the
settlement of the state, and, we might
add, ever sincethe foundation of our
republic.
We we're from the very first greatly
impressed by the high character Of the
farming as conducted in the three
Kingdoms, and by the superior type OF
the live stock also. We were struck
by the entire absence OF what Is known
to us as WORKOUT land, and by the
thoroughness Of the cultivation. This
fact made still deeper impression
upon use when We discovered that in
Scotland about nine-tenths of the land
is cultivated by tenants. We were i'm
pressed by the utter absence OF the
one-year lease, and by the length Of
the leases, in Scotland from fourteen
to nineteen years. We were also i'm
pressed by the almost entire absence
on the part Of tenants Of what we know
as land hunger.
We we're both impressed and sur
prised by the fact that land of similar
quality sold, when sold at all, at as low
prices az prevail In the state of Iowa;
and by the further fact that the income
Of the landlords from their estates Is
quite as low per acre as that received
In Iowa, and in many cases lower, al
though in exceptional cases, where
lands are especially adapted to special
crops, both rents and prices are q
great deal higher.
This led us at once to inquire into
the causes, and particularly into the
legislation which the experience of the
centuries has led the British govern
ment to adopt, protecting the interests
of the tenant, and particularly of the
land itself, as well as the interests Of
the landlord. It also led us to inquire
into the practical administration Of
these laws.
The subject became at once matter
of absorbing interest, in the study Of
which we spared no reasonable ex-
pense or time. We adopted the method
Of first getting in touch with the agri-
cultural colleges and experiment sta
lions. We ascertained through their
professors the names Of typical farm
ers, and especially Of tenant, farmers,
and then invited them to dine with US.
at our hotel and discuss freely the
character Of the laws under which they
were operating, and the difficulties, II
eny, in the way of their practical ad-
ministration. At the various stock
shows which we attended we came In
contact with both landlords and ten
ants. In these ways and by visiting
representative tenants in their homes
we were able to get the views of all
classes Of both landlords and tenants
Landlords and Land Laws.
We might remark here that in
England, Scotland and Wales, there
are two distinct classes of landlords:
One whose inheritance traces back to
feudal times, whose ancestors accepted
rent In lieu OF military service, and
who have retained to a greater or less
degree a sense Of responsibility for the
welfare Of the land. They take genuine
pride in their estates, and spend much
CT their income in promoting the well
fare Of the estate and also Of the, ten
ants. The other class Of landlords are
those who have grown rich through
manufacturing or speculation,
and who, through the misfortune Of
some Of the older landlords, have been
able to buy estates, for the purpose Of
securing that social recognition which
in that country comes through large
holdings of land. These latter, not
knowing the heart of the farmer, and
anxious to secure larger profits as well
as social recognition, are disposed to
advance rents, sometimes beyond the
limits of Justice.
1t was largely to correct the abuses
that have grown out of this custom