XX Synopsis of Chapters. 



FAGS 



money instead of as formerly in kind, and the substitution of 

 separate cottages for the farm hands, instead of the boarding 

 system, promotes the growing antagonism between farmer and 

 labourer — The good effects of the older economy illustrated — 

 The necessity demonstrated for allowing the cottager some sub- 

 stitute, such as allotments, for his lost rights of commonage — 

 The old co-operative system practised in the Eidings of York- 

 shire shown to be preferable in every way to the allotment 

 system 494-512 



CHAPTER XXin. 



THE MORAL OF THIS NARRATIVE. 



Changes wrought by the lapse of eighteen centuries on the position 

 of the overlord — Mill's erroneous ideas on the seignorial rela- 

 tionship with the magisterial office — A complete loss of the 

 privileges pertaining to the judgment-seat tends to reduce 

 realty to the condition of personalty — Drawbacks in the way 

 of land nationalisation — The landowner's altered relationship 

 with agriculture — A new solution of the difficult *erm. Rent — 

 Landlord's capital shown to be a factor in the economy of 

 agricultural production — A dual control of the soil proved to 

 be in existence, and the only alternative, viz., a system of small 

 landed proprietorship, found to be undesirable — The improve- 

 ment of the soil by borrowed capital brought about by the 

 family settlement, maintained to be beyond the reach of legi- 

 timate State interference — Even Mill's ingenuitj^ unable to 

 justify any excuse for State control over the freedom of bequest 

 — The last plea for further interference either with the rights 

 of bequest or inheritance removed by the recent Settled Land 

 Acts — Principles of the unearned increment and betterment 

 systems alluded to — The more intelligible phase of the latter, 

 as occurring at the present moment in London, shown to tend 

 towards a discoui-agement of thrift — A departure from the old 

 policy of avoiding the taxation of capital, as evidenced by the 

 death duties, shown to be depriving the soil of a portion of its 

 wealth — Any degradation of the old landed aristocracy by the 

 subdivision of their estates or otherwise proved to be hostile 

 to the Anglo-Saxon idiosyncracy — The farmer's prosperit}' or 

 the reverse purely a question of pocket — His inabilitj^ to better 

 the situation by any increased efforts of his own — Excessive 

 taxation, an inferior climate, unchecked foreign competition, 

 and the supineness of sanitary authorities, shown to be the 

 causes of his want of success — Loss of capital carries in its 

 train worse evils, which weigh down every foi'm of industry 

 connected with the national husbandry — Some form of the co- 

 operative sj'stem advocated as the first remedy for the present 

 deadlock— Drawbacks to the metayer economy pointed out — 

 A partly fixed, partly variable rent suggested as a substitute, 

 and the co-operation of the laboi;rer encouraged either by 

 making wages rise and fall in sympathy w'th market prices, 

 or preferably by the payment of wages partly in kind — A 

 scheme of compulsory insurance agains*" the helplessness of 

 sickness and old age recommended — A final appeal to all classes 

 connected with the soil for united action .... 513-535 



