The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-10-02

I
Clarke the Iowa legislature last Win
| ter authorized him to appoint a COM
mission to report on agricultural con-
ditions in Great Britain, the state TO
be at no expense in the matter. TWO
members of the commission, Ex-Sec-
rotary of Agriculture James Wilson
ana Henry Wallace, editor or Wal
lace,s Farmer. who Travelled together,
have filed their report With the gov
ernor, as follows:
At the suggestion of the Thirty-hfth
general assembly of the state of Iowa,
ana by appointment OF Governor
Clarke. we gave much time during
our recent visit to Great Britain aud
ireland, to study of agricultural con-
ditions, in the hope that we might
nnd 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 sell fertility which has been char
actetistso OF our methods OF farmins
ever since the settlement Of the state.
and. we might add. ever since the
Foundation of our republic.
We were from the very first greatly
impressed By the high character OF
the farming as conducted In the thres
Kingdoms, and by the superior type o.
the live stock also. We were struck
by the entire absence OF what is
known to us as worn out land, and
ny the thoroughness OF the cuitiya-
ton. This fact made still deeper
impression upon US when We diseov-
cred that in Scotland about nine
tenths of the land is cultivated by
tenants. We we're impressed by the
utter absence OF the one year lease,
and By the length Of the leases. in
Scotland from fourteen 10 nineteen
years. We were also Impressed by
the almost entire absence on the part
OF tenants OF what we know as land
hunger.
We were both impressed and sur
prised by the fact that land Of SINH
lar quality sold. when sold al all. ct
as low prices as prevail in the state
Of Iowa; AMI by the further fact that
the income Of the landlords IRON
their estates Us quite as low per acre
as thar received N Iowa, and IN many
cases lower, although in exceptional
cases. where lands are especially
a6apted 10 special crops. both rents
ana prioes are : great deal higher.
This led US at once 10 inquire into
The causes, and particularly into the
legislation which The experience Of
he centuries has led the British sov-
e-nmea- 10 adopt. protecting the IN
serests Of the tenant and particularly
6 the lana ssssaaass . VEL IS tie IN
tarests Of the landlord. L also led
Us 10 inquire into the practical sd
ninist-atton Of these lars
TIE subject became 81 once inst
te- % ahsoroing interest, IN the study
os which Ne spared 70 reasonable s1-
peasa or time. We adopted the
rnsthod Of arst getting in touch With
hs agricultural college ani experi-
inert stato1s We ascaTtainsd
through their professors the names
q typical farmers. ana especially Ct
tsazat farmers, aad thsn invited them
IL dine with rs 81 our hotel a1i dis
cuss fresiy TIE character o. the laws
unea- which they were operating, and
he di@crlsses Il any IN The Wy O
their practical admins ration Il ne
xa-.o-,s s.oca slows which we attend
Fl W. came II contact Nth hoth la7s-
o-zs a1t tenants IN these rays aid
- visiting representative te1ants Il
their homes We were aols % se5 Re
rte-s q 81 classes Of Goth landlords
z5 taasass.