56 



LAND TENURE 





find in the Report issued by Mr. Spillman, who was in charge of 

 the office of farm management in 1912, this interesting statement: 

 "The lack of future opportunity for taking up desirable public 

 lands in our western states and the consequent general rise in the 

 price of farm lands all over the country has resulted in an increase 

 in tenant farming, especially in those sections where land values 

 have risen to the point at which it is exceedingly difficult for the 

 purchaser of a farm to meet both living expenses and interest on 

 his indebtedness and also make payments on the principal. It is 



FIG. 10". Farming by a tenant. 



hardly to be doubted that tenant farming will further increase in 

 this country and that ultimately the land will be owned by the 

 wealthier classes and be farmed by tenants with moderate capital." 

 The question naturally presents itself. What will be the social or 

 economic significance of an increase in farm tenancy? We have 

 conclusions on this subject presented to us in a great number of 

 rural life surveys made by various institutions such as the Depart- 

 ment of Church and Country Life, Board of Home Missions of 

 the Presbyterian Church of this country, by various State Uni- 

 versities, and by various other institutions and individuals. One 

 such survey, speaking of northwestern Ohio, says: "Tenancy 

 may not be a curse to agriculture and the country life, but under 

 the system of land tenure prevalent throughout the most of the 



