New-York tribune., 1922-02-19
vs. and Comment of City and Suburban Real Estate Market
Eeud Bet,ueen Landlord
and Tenant Centuries Ofd
troubles of To-day Repettions of Former Davs:
Restrictions Now in Operation Similar to Curbs
Framed Before Coming of Christ

'o'o' ana ne never turned deaf ear
~ was the custom in large cities after
hie 10 give the land free for 81 hun
u'eo 'eo Gays or whatever time it would
sshe to put up another home. If n
landlord notified tenant to move. rent
stopped Immediately on the recent or
M 'he noCce and no rent could be col
aec.eu from the tenant after that, no
matter how long he remained on the
property
Rent Riots Of 1S40
Contrary, perhaps, to the general
'hought, emergency landlord and ten
ant legislation is not a novelty in New
orH' one who studies, even casually.
'"e archlves Of eighty years ago will
Speed'ly hnd new Justification for the
common saying that history repeats
itself
history recalls the years 1s4O to
'.'o AS the period Of the so-callcd
Ahti Kent Wars ~ the northern part
OF TINS state. Vast tracts of land in
Albany, Columbia, Rensselaer,. Gcnesoe
Chautauqua. Delaware and Schoharie
counties had been accumulated in the
colonial days and the first years Of the
Nepupiic by few individuals. who
came to be generally known bv tho
title patroon The PATRONS in turn
allotted the land to tho farmers to
work, chiefly under system of condi-
Ilonai deeds or of perpetual loascs-so-
ca'ied leases In whereby MANY
rights were reserved and the duties ex-
acted of the farmertenants
These obligations were frequently
OF nature prevalent in feudal Eng
.and They appear in many instances
10 nave been light enough when first
imposed but changes in conditions
mace them very onerous and oppres-
slve, particularly because practically
all the leases provided that the PATRON
might re-enter and take possession Of
the property, with all the improve
ments that the tenant,may have made
on 1t, IN the event of default in anv
term OF the lease, no matter how
MINOR. In add tion, most of the leases
provided that the PATRON should get
9 hne one-Quarter of the stipulated
fraction of the price in event the ten
anf sold his leaseh I'D These exuc-
tlons, known Is quarter sales tenth
sales, or the like, caused the greatest
comp laint and dissatisfaction. More
over the law then gave the landlords
the right of Distress to take and sell
the possession of tenant in satisfac-
tlon of arrears.
Soldiers Called to Keep Order
Inc original PATRONS, Of whom
stephen Van Rensselaer, is perhaps the
best known, were genial men who often
let their tenants fall into long arrears
without taking action. But their heirs
were harsher in their methods, and
from 1886 attacks were made upon land
offices in the northern counties and there
was organized opposition to shcrifs
and others who attempted to serve
legal process in behalf of the patroons
Armed posses and militia were called
out in 1910 to sustain the Sheriff Of
Albany County, and 1900 to 1900 ten
ants and their sympathizers gathered
to oppose them. Bloodshed was mar
rowly averted on this occasion; but in
succeeding years there were riots and
violence, with resultant bloodshed, loss
of life and imprisonment for many
who were convicted of participation in
the disorders.
The message Of Governors William
H. Seward, in 1910; Silas Wright, in
1o45, and John Young, in 1886, gave
graphlc accounts Of these disturbances
The tenants endeavored TO improve
their situation by legislation as we'll
as by resistance to authority, and in
this aspect their activity and it's con-
sequences bear striking resemblance TO
events at Albany in the spring of 1920.
history records that the legislature
Of 1915 was flooded with petitions
from the representatives Of the ten
ants, who appeared before the COM
mittcc Of the Assembly, of which Sam
uel J. Iilden was chairman.
Judge Lauter and Mr. Houses book
gives in detail the history of the pres
ent situation and the laws made to
correct or relieve the conditions.