THE FUTURE OF THE FARMER. 63 



for their rioting and debauchery in and about the King's Court. 

 The condition of the peasant, or farmer, was not so bad when the 

 great proprietor lived in his vicinity, for then he was acquainted 

 with him, knew his necessities, and appreciated his desires and 

 personality ; but when he was away, the only interest he had was 

 in the amount of his income from his estates. This state of 

 things grew worse and worse until, shortly before the French 

 Revolution, the name farmer was a synonym with misery. 



It would be too much like a lecture on history, and would 

 perhaps be out of place here, to continue the details of the condi- 

 tion of the farmers in France until the French Revolution. 

 Sufficient to say that almost no condition could be worse. 



If a field of wheat were growing, there was no certainty that 

 the farmer might himself harvest it. If it were not eaten by the 

 game birds belonging to the proprietor it was tramped over by 

 noble huntsmen with their horses. The farmer might not keep 

 fowls of his own, for the game birds of the lord must have the 

 food. To pay taxes and dues consumed all of the product of the 

 farm which was fit for human consumption, and the farmer him- 

 self might eat the refuse. This condition of things largely caused 

 the French Revolution. 



Conditions were little better than this in the other countries 

 on the continent. Austria, Hungary, and various states in 

 Germany all suffered from similar causes. The condition of the 

 farm laborers and tenants in England was but little better. 



The great convulsion known as the French Revolution com- 

 pelled the rulers of Europe to begin the recognition of human 

 rights, the rights of men because they were men. No class of 

 people profited by the change in the political situation more than 

 the farmer. During the period of the French Revolution, both 

 before and after the overthrow of the monarchy, large public 

 domains, territories belonging to the Church and to individuals 

 of the nobility, were divided and sold to those who tilled the soil. 

 Thus the farmer became the sole proprietor of the land upon 

 which he worked. His interest in his work was increased, his 

 profits doubled and trebled, and prosperity began to exist where 

 but a little while ago were famine, disease, hopelessness, and 

 sorrow. 



There is nothing like the possession and tilling of the soil to 

 give a feeling of independence. The impetus that was given to 



