THE MORTGAGE QUESTION Sy 



These figures show that the mortgage debt in the ten years considered 

 has continued to increase so quickly, that from 2,449,000,000 crs. in 1901 

 it rose to 3,927,000,000 crs. in 1910. To this increase rural property has 

 contributed less than urban, as may be easily perceived by observing that 

 between 1901 and 1910 the difference between rural and urban indebted- 

 ness almost disappeared. This is owing to the vigorous development of 

 manufactures in Sweden during the last few years, causing a growing 

 need of credit. 



Of all the institutions engaging in land credit business, only the 

 provincial mortgage associations give data which leave no doubt as to 

 their interpretation. In fact as these associations act as intermedi- 

 aries for credit to agriculture the sums they lend represent only debts on 

 rural land. 



Other institutions, such as private banks and savings banks, pubHcand 

 private, pubhsh only the total amount of their credit, without distinguish- 

 ing the nature of the real estate which is the security. 



Insurance companies do not engage in rural credit business. 



If we consider the loans granted by various mortgage associations 

 between 1900 and 191 1, we shall find that their increase has not followed 

 the same ascending Une as the mortgages on rural land. From 270,172,467 

 crowns in 1900 these loans rose to 291,204,605 crowns in 191 1. 



Hence it may be deduced that to the increase of rural mortgage credit 

 during the last few years, private capitaUtsts, savings banks, banks properly 

 so called and other institutions collecting savings, have contributed in ever 

 increasing proportion. 



