Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-04-16

WASHINGTON, April ie-New
figures have just been made availa-
BILE on the two great ~bugbears OF
the farmer-mortgage debt ind
taxes. Both of these burdens show
tremendous increases in the decade
from 1910 TO 1920. However,
these figures show that there is a
| wide margin of value over and above
the claims of the mortgages.
The total farm acreage in the
United States in 1920 amounted to
9~5s,8s3,7i5 as compared with SIS,
79S,s25 in 1910. The number OF
farms in 1890 was 6,44s.34S and IN
1910 s,3s1,S02. The new figures,
just compiled by the Bureau OF the
| Census in collaboration with the
Bureau of Agricultural Economics.
show the total mortgage debt OF
American farms TO be S7,s57,700,-
900. The total value of all farms
| owned by the farmers operating
them amounted TO $1S,775.50 900.
There are NO directly comparable
| figures for 1910 on the total mort.
| gage debt, for this new estimate is
based on more data than previously
| was available. The 1910 census fig
ures relates only to the farms act
ually owned by the farmers cult
waiting them. These figures show a
mortgage debt OF only about So
000, o00 900. The new figures throw
an interesting light on the farms OPP
Grated by tenants, Also the figure
given as the total value of American
farms. If the tenant farms are
added, an estimated total of more
than $4,000 600, 900 would be
reached,
For figures on the increase in the
mortgage debt We must go back TO
the separate Census Bureau figures,
rather than use those compiled
jointly by the Census Bureau and
the Bureau of Agricultural Eco
Monies. These show for the de-
cade, 19l0-1920 an increase of
117,6 per cent in the value of farms
owned by their operators and an in
crease OF 1919 per cent in the mort
gage debt resting on these lands.
Presumably the increase in the
mortgage debt kept pace for the to-
owned farm. This indicates that the
American farmer steadily is in
creasing his mortgage debt.
The joint report shows that So
$4,000, 600 ia owed on mortgage by
farmers who own their farms; 1858,
100000 is owed on farms operated
by paid managers; and s~2,185, 000,.
900 Is owed or farms rented to ten
ants.
Tenants Increase Acreage
While the Census Bureau does
not give a classification of owned
and rented farms in respect OF the
mortgage debt resting up them, 1t
does show the increase in the num-
Der of acres farmed by tenants. In
1919 there were $4,000 900 acres of
improved farm land farmed by
owners. In 1920 there We're S14,-
900. 200 acres farmed by owners.
This Is an increase of 100000 acres
titled by owning farmers. In 1910
here were 166.000,000 acres of land
;armed by tenants: in 1929 this had
| Increased to 175,000,000 acres an
increase Of 1890, 900 acres. j. viii
30 seen that while more iuHl is
farme1 by owrers than by ~terants,
still thci was q much greater acre
age gain IN the farms opeltied y
tenants in . single deoI*s, This
shows tat ter ant farming s In
creasing mHch more rapidly than
owner-farming.
Economists regard this az an un-
welcome indication. They point out
thRt an unhealthy condition exists
when the farmer does not own the
soil he tills. The explanation gem
orally excepted is that the old no
tive stock American is moving to
tho city and renting his farm 10 the
German. the Pole or other Euro
pean This sort of absentee land
lordism has been much criticised lS
economists for centuries and has
bcen blamed for the decline and
fal. of the Roman Empire, for thu
French Revolution, for the land re
form agitation in England and IS
pecially for the woes of Ireland
Absentee landlord ism and tenan'
farming has not yet reached thu
proportions in the United States tina
they cid in the older countries, bu
economists hold out a warning tina
the tendency in that direction
should be checked.
1t Is interesting to note that ther'
are 261,0oO woman farmers in tn
Ur,ted States. The Census Burea
compiled statistics of farmers b,
sex for the first time in 1920 81
no comparative figure available TO
1910, About 4 per cent Of the ma
tons farmers are TIN!
means women who run their farm
outright; not merely farmers wive
and daughters who help their hus
bands or fathers. -