Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-12-01
BR|T0NS MAKE HUGE
REAL ESTATE DEAL
Was Irish Land Purchase Bill
When Landlord Sold to State
for Use Of Tenants.
2,4oo,ooo HOMELESS
FAMILIES IN AMERICA
Fewer People Own Homes Now
Than a Generation Ago Accord
ing to Population Increase.

Chicago, Nov. 30.-How the hugest
real estate deal in the history of the
world was consummated by the Brit
ish government buying out the Irish
landlords and reseliing the property
to the tenants was told today by Sec
rotary Charles W. Holman of the Ma
tional Conference on Marketing and
Farm Credits to that body, in ses-
sion here. I'ss-t
Transplant Ideas TO America.
How the principlesso successful in
Ireland could be administered in
America was explained by the speak
er, who recently returned from Great
Britain, where he made study Of
Irish land registration and admins
tration. Holman urged the adoption
by congress. of that section of the re-
port of the United States Commits
sion on Industrial Relations which
dealt with the land problem. He was
in charge of the field studies made by
the commission.
''In state aid Of land purchase he
said, '.lies the immediate hope of the
American farm tenant, for by that
means only can we hope for a quick
action to stem the growing tide OF
landlordism."
Credited State Aided Purchases.
Secretary Holman credited state
aided land purchase III Ireland with
these benefits: G
The industry of bccupiers has in.
creased; farm houses and farm out
buildings have improved; the tend
ency to sell interests in land has de.
creased; the tendency to sublet and
divide holdings has become almost
dormant; the solvency OF the occu-
piers has improved; there is feel.
ing OF contentment; a prevalence Of
law and order that did not exist I'M
der landlord and tenant relations.
Contrasted With This Country.
What a contrast this affords
against the American movement to.
wards tenancy" the speaker said. "In
Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, New York,
Ohio, and Pennsylvania tenant farm.
ers have increased by 121 ,167, while
the number of home owning farmers
has actually decreased by 62,915. But
in Texas and Oklahoma we find about
the saddest establishment of Ameri.
can hopes for home ownership. Forty
years ago Texas had 65,468 tenant
families. That number comprised
37.6 per cent of all the farms in the
state. In 1910 the tenant farmers had
increased to 1851, which made 81
per cent of all the farms in the state
an Oklahoma 54.8 per cent Of the
state is in the hands of tenant far
mers and in the Al counties where
tenancy is highest the percentage
runs to 6S.13.
100000 Homeless Families.
''If we take the % most prosperous
states of the unon-the states tina,
produce the greater. part of the cot
ton, corn, dairy, wheat and the fruit
stuffs of the nation, we may easily
estimate 100000 homeless families
who have not survived the Compel
tive pressure for land ownership. lr
these same states the concentration
of land ownership is progressing at q
/ speed that is no less than tragic.
Tenant Increase z to I.
In the Southwestern states, the
rate of tenant increase over the home
owning increase is two to one. In the
middle western states of Illinois, Kan
sas, Nebraska, Ohio and Iowa, the ten