Homesteading 



holding of his land is on what I will call a com- 

 mercial basis, instead of a decaying feudal one. 

 But please note, I don't offer an opinion as to 

 which is ultimately the best, and would remark 

 in passing that I suppose the theory of the feudal 

 idea is that the nation's land is vested in the 

 king as trustee for the nation, while the com- 

 mercial idea is that a man owns the land he works, 

 as he owns a horse or plough. 



" Of course, there are lots of exceptions in 

 both countries, and I am only speaking generally. 

 In the old land, as I suggest, there only remains 

 now a sort of semi -feudalism, under which the 

 landlord class, holding their land traditionally 

 from the Crown, rendered service to the State 

 through it, and subletting, as it were, these lands, 

 gave protection and help to their tenants, and 

 required service for the State, through them- 

 selves and the Crown. So under the plan here, 

 which I call the commercial system, there are 

 exceptions, and it is doubtful to my mind whether 

 it is practicable or beneficial in the long run for 

 the community to permit the holding of its land 

 as a mere chattel. However, the point I am 

 driving at, and which I think you must see now, 

 is that it's more easy for the farmers to combine 

 under the latter system, and very necessary and 

 wise for them to do so." 



178 



