The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-01-16

Limit To Absentee Ownership
l. A. Jpcreasipo Prob

| Serious thOuSnC muSL De given "
the problem of limiting absentee
ownership of land declares David f.
Houston, secretary of agriculture,
in his annual report On the average,
he points out, the tenant remains on
the same farm only about one-siyth
as long as the owning farmer, and
consequently often manifests little
interest in the improvement of the
farm and in the progress of the COM
munity. When this is added to the
fact that large number of landlords
live at a distance from their farms
and contribute nothing either to the
success of the tenant or to the pro-
gress of the community, situation
is presented which necessitates the
the taking of steps to retard the in
crease of tenancy.
"a certain proportion of ten
ants" continues the Secretary, "is
normal and may not be unwhole-
some. Many farm owners, because
of age or infirmity, find it neces-
sary to retire. Their farms are
temporarily operated by their sons
or other relatives who subsequently
may become owners through in
heritance or purchase. Large num-
bers Of young men with little capi-
tai find tenancy a convenient stage
J in their progress to ownership. Ger
tain local studies reveal the fact
that nearly two-thirds of the farm
owners who operate their farms
have passed through this stage. FIRE.
quently it serves as a useful period
of apprenticeship in farm manage
ment before the heavier financial
burdens of ownership are assumed.
Help of Education and Training
"In a great many cases the far
mer has not acquired sufficient ex-
perience- as a manager to operate
his farm efficiently without the as
sistance of the landlord. In some in
stances, also, the tenant has been
reared in an environment character
lied by lack of thrift, self-restraint,
and systematic industry. He may not
have the general intelligence or
technical knowledge to stand alone
in the management of farm. Where
these personal limitations exist the
solution of the problem lies in edu-
cation, training, and the develop
ment of systematic habits of in
dustry and thrift rather than in radi-
cal changes in the system of tenure.
"Since there will continue to be a |!
certain number. of tenants every eff
fort should be made to change the
conditions of leasing so as, to i'm
prove the methods of agriculture, in
crease the period of occupancy, and
Insure a fair division Of returns; and
the States should provide by law for
system of compensation by owners
| to tenants for uneXhausted inn
provements and set up the neces-
sary administrative machinery. Such
arrangements have prevailed in
England for many years to the bene-
fit of all concerned
"Although landlords may, and Of
ten do, play an important part in
financing and in operating farms,
there are large. numbers who live at
a distance and who contribute
nothing toward their efficient utili-
zation or Improvement. Moreover,
they often fail to interest themselves
in developing the progress of the
community in which their land is
situated, although they benefit by
such progress. Land, however, is
peculiarly important to all the peo-
pie, and the welfare and prosperity
of the community, as we'll as its
economic and social progress, de-
pend so vitally on its use and the re-
ationship of the population to it
that serious thought must be given
Ito the problem of limiting absentee