The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-10-26
FARM TENANTRY IN
OKLAHOMA DECREASES;
OTHER STATES GAIN
tBy Associated Press

CHICAGO, Oct. 26.-The increase in
farm tenantry which has become an
issue in Kansas does not appear uni
form throughout the central west. &C.
cording to reports received here from
a number of agricultural authorities.
While the majority of the several
states heard from report an advance,
Wisconsin notes no change, owing to
the opening of new farms, and Okla
homa declares decrease.
Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and
To- Ohio show increases. The situation
In the various states named is thus In
dicated:
Farm tenantry in Oklahoma has
shown a decrease of percent during
the 10 years since 1910, according to
figures from each county compiled by
H. H. Shutz, federal statistician for
the state. In 1910, farm owners made
up As percent of the tillers of the soil.
and renters IS percent, while now
owners represent So percent and rent
ers 48 percent.
Nearly every section of the state
showed a decrease in the number of
renters, according to Mr.. Shutz, who
based his report on returns from all
farms in the state, numbering approx.
imately $4,000. Mr.. Shutz noted
growing tendency on the part of rent
ers 10 buy a small tract, from 10 to 20
acres, and rent adjoining land. He
said high crop prices have enabled
many renters to swing into the owner
column.
THE percentage of rented farms
has remained about the same and, IN
a few cases, has Increased somewhat
in the southern half of Wisconsin, SO
the economic condition there Is not
very different from the condition IN
the corn belt states" Joseph A. Beck
er, agricultural statistician at Mad1'
son, Wis, writes. However, the
large number of new farms belns
opened up in the northern part OF the
state, practically all of which are
operated by owners, has more tnan
kept up the percentage OF oWheu
farms Summing up, there has Deen
some tendency toward an increase In
farm tenancy, but the opening up OF
new farms operated by owners in the
northern part of the state has more
than offset this in Wisconsin,.
Increase in Illinois.
Farm tenantry increased four per
cent in Illinois in the 10-year period
from 1909 to 1919 according to zig
ures compiled by the state department
of agriculture at Springfield. Tenan
try in 1919 was estimated at 4o.o per
cent.
Farm tenantry in Ohio will show
only a slight increase" over 1910, IN
the opinion of "A. Q. Falconer, head Oh
the rural economics department al
Ohio State university. 1t will not be
more than percent, he estimates. ;.
Farm tenantry in Minnesota Is
steadily increasing because OF the ad
vanced prices of farm lands and a
hesitancy on the part of many retiring
farmers to relinquish title to thell
lands, according to M. J. Holmberg
state commissioner of agriculture.
material increase in tenantry is re
ported in the southern counties, where
the cost of land is relatively high y
the northern section the increase Il
not so marked, Mr.. Holmberg said
because the land there commands ou
a comparatively low price and the IN
flux of immigrants is large.
In Nebraska an increase OF aDou
four percent in tenant owned farms
from 1910 to 1919 is shown in figure:
supplied by Leo Stuhr, secretary O
the state department of agriculture.