226 THE MURDER OF AGRICULTURE 



do not in this respect represent the agricultural labourers. 

 They are mostly of the territorial class — of the old 

 quarter sessions type. They are kindly disposed towards 

 the labourers, and would do what they think is good for 

 them, but always as labourers. They have not as yet 

 accepted the idea that the creation of a class of land- 

 owning peasants would be good for agriculture itself, as 

 well as for the community." 



In a word the County Councils, for reasons which were 

 wholly insufficient, and certainly reprehensible, have 

 thought fit to deride and set at naught a great Parlia- 

 mentary measure which was enacted in the National 

 interests, and for the help and benefit of a large section 

 of our workers, which finds the conditions of life so hard 

 as to be wellnigh hopeless. 

 Miscarriage So great a miscarriage of public duty calls for sharp 

 Duty official reprimand and fitting punishment as well as pub- 

 lic condemnation. 



This is what Land Reform, page 212, says on the sub- 

 ject: 



" Taking into consideration all these adverse circum- 

 stances, the Small Holdings Act cannot fairly be de- 

 scribed as a failure. Up to the end of 1892 eight County 

 Coimcils in England and Wales had put the Act into 

 operation. They had, at that date, acquired a total area 

 of 569 acres of land for the purpose of small holdings." 



It seems clear enough, even to the poorest intelligence, 

 that if County Councils " have practically ignored the 

 duty placed upon them " while only " eight " of them 

 have acquired but 569 acres in ten years, the Small Hold- 



