HOW TO SETTLE 199 



Now, our traditional prejudice notwithstanding, looking at what 

 is being done abroad, and at the very visible effects of the large 

 preponderance of freehold ownership, even among the class of small 

 cultivators — the stability given to conditions generally, the absence 

 of disturbing movements, of which we have our fill, the progressing 

 prosperity and well-being of the small cultivators — it is not quite 

 easy to resist the impression that, all things considered, among the 

 smaller class of cultivators, freehold holdings have very marked 

 merits of their own. Let it be freely admitted that, whether among 

 large farmers or small cultivators, tenancy has its distinct recom- 

 mendations, and may, on business grounds, be preferable in not a 

 few cases. Supposing that the right man comes to the right place, 

 under the right conditions, for making money on the farmer's side, 

 assuming that climatic conditions and markets are favourable, 

 there is nothing like tenant farming. That it is which makes the 

 large farmer rich. And it makes a splendid " ladder " for the small 

 cultivator to rise up by to higher position. " You will not be here 

 long" — so Small Holding Commissioners have related to me that 

 they observed to certain applicants for holdings when the Act was 

 new. " It won't be long before you will have made enough to remove 

 to a larger holding." From the landowner's and the community's 

 point of view the matter bears a rather different aspect, though 

 even the landowner may on business grounds be thoroughly content 

 with the arrangement. He may lack either money or inclination 

 to farm his land himself. But it cannot be contended that the 

 right man in the right place will not get quite as much out of the 

 land if he is its owner as he does as a tenant ; whereas it may be 

 taken for granted that as owner he will leave much more in it — which 

 is an important consideration. One year's managers of a business 

 do not think of the future, nor carry much to reserve or allow much 

 for depreciation. What the money-making tenant does is what 

 the French call " eating your grain in the blade." In Germany, 

 where, like all credit raising, mortgaging is greatly overdone, and 

 where agricultural properties under process of liquidation frequently 

 pass into the hands of receivers, they have a common saying : 

 " Sequester machen leere Nester " (" Receivers leave empty nests "). It 

 is not to be supposed that outgoing tenants will leave more eggs in 

 them than they can help. Many such tenants often enough " sweat " 

 their land for all that it is worth, just as a selfish employer " sweats " 

 his employees, in order to get out of them what he can. The 

 arrangement may under circumstances suit landlords, but it 

 does not conduce to laying up "heart" in the land. Tenancy 



