Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-01-05
THE CASH RENTER.

E
We think this last year has been a
pretty hard one on the renter in sons
sections of the country, and particular
L. in the soft corn belt, where the lease
is for one year only. and the rent pay
able in cash We dom see how 1t Is
possible for renters Of this class in the
soft corn belt TO pay their rent. II
they pay it, it will be out of previous
earnings, or. in other words. out OF
their working capital. We hear OF
sherifs sales, wherein the landlord,
taking advantage Of the landlords lien
bill. has been selling the tenants live
stock and other property.
There will be a good deal of suffer-
ing In the soft corn country. where the
rent is payable in a share of the grain.
Here the landlord shares in the loss.
but usually he is able to stand it..
Sometimes the tenant is. but the
chances are that the loss will be much
more severe on him than on the land
owner.
Speaking by and large, the landlord
can not afford to take advantage Of his
lien and collect off the tenant by a
sheriff's sale. or by forcing him to sell
in any other way. One of the great
difficulties in the way OF good farming
is the lack of working capital on the
part Of the tenant. The landlord (speak-
ing Of landlords as a whole) can not
afford to decrease the efficiency Of the
tenant farmer by demanding what is
legallyNhis due. Nor can he afford to
arouse the indignation of the commun-
ity by exacting his pound of flesh"
Legally It is his right. It Is what is
nominated in the bond; but there is
senge of justice and Righteousness in
the minds of people, which often causes
them 20 protest against the exaction of
even legal rights.
II the tenant is a good one. and has
done his best. the landlord had better
say to him: Wen try it another year.
Keep your stock; do your best next
year, and let's hope that you will be
more prosperous Then we can talk
about this years rent" This is the
course we believe the broad-minded
landlord will take, even II he needs
the money. He can't afford to lose the
goodwill and approval Of the COM
munity on the one hand. nor can he at
ford to decrease the efficiency OF the
tenant, or perhaps compel him to quit
farming altogether, or to seek employ
ment as hand on some other farm.
All this brings out the weakness Of
our present rental system, or the one
year lease. No man should rent farm
for one year, unless he has the assur-
ance that il things are satisfactory, he
can stay on another year or for q Sc
ries OF years: SO that he can plan
ahead, and the prosperity Of one year
may balance loss in another
We do not mean to say that leases
should be for five years. We are not
ready for fiye-year leases yet; but
there should be some sort Of an agree
ment, whether verbal or in writing,
that the tenant who has done his best
and is efficient, can remain on the
farm as long as his efficiency is main
tanned. Some landlords who have
adopted this plan have tenants for the
twelve or fifteen years, and even longer.
They are attached to their homes; they
take root In the community This is
one thing that landlords should look
after very carefully. If they don't, they
are likely to impoverish the tenant by
asking high rent, and also to Empower
ish their land. selling 1t piecemeal.
For, rest assured that this long con-
tinued advance in the price OF land in
the corn DIT can not go on. at least
| ut the rate at which it has for the last
fifteen years. The very fact that It has
cost!naea for fifteen years. and that
men are counting on it, shows that the
time is coming when 1t will cease; and
! ,s.::e. & dnes eease thers srfll be re-
i action.
Therefore. landlords should give spe-