THE AGRARIAN REFORM OF 1903. 115 



has broken the domination of the landlor 



:irl)it: ically im- 



The evictions which even in 1887 



3,869 sank in 1893 to 1,018 and in 



1896 to 695 ; the records of agrarian crime sank 



neously from 883 to 380 and 25 1. 1 

 cm hi ring peace was, however, not to be 

 looked for. Every fifteen years at least the 

 each other before the courts, and 

 .ith all the means in their power 

 ovc -on of an ever-diminishing surplus. 



e judge who has to decide between them pro- 

 due be, a con jrage result ; but 

 ;i where thousands of errors, by mutual corn- 

 bring about a true average result, 

 this abstract equity does not bring much comfort 

 to the individual victims. If ever a Commissioner 

 > raise a rent, a storm of indignation 

 It has become perfectly clear th 

 1 courts may work away so long as all idea 

 of a g< raising of rents is barred out, but 

 should anything of this kind ever take place 



bring about an agrarian revolution against 

 ic and its courts. 



Lmd legislation has reduced the landowner 

 almost to the position of a mortgagee, so it has 

 brought the relations of the tenant to his land- 

 lord into a condition which is neither one of 

 vassalage nor of a true co-partnership, but 

 t of a debtor. The law has protected him 



1 Fry Commission, App. 



