OF TENANT-FARMERS. 147 



purchase of land is advantageous to the land- 

 owner, competition for its occupation diminishes 

 the margin of the tenant's profit. And he has 

 to contend against it on both sides, for other 

 attractions and the facilities of locomotion have 

 so altered the position of the labourer, that he 

 presses for higher wages. When the landowner 

 is offered a higher rent, and the labourer higher 

 wages, or a better chance of improving his con- 

 dition in our colonies, the position of the middle- 

 man who has to meet the demands of both 

 seems a difficult one. He, like any other 

 capitalist, may no doubt withdraw it from an 

 unprofitable business, and carry it to some other 

 country where good land is plentiful and cheap, 

 and where he may become a landowner, and 

 escape at least one of the competing forces to 

 which he is here exposed. 



But while the business has these disad- 

 vantages, there is still competition for the 

 occupation of good land. It has many at- 

 tractions. A country life, personal ease and 

 independence, part ownership of agricultural 

 property, a comfortable home where most of the 



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