Land Problems and National Welfare 



the conclusions were sound and logical from 

 one standpoint — that of the large tenant farmer. 

 They were conclusions to which practically all 

 those who were present could agree, for nearly 

 all were large tenant farmers. 



But unfortunately the point of view is too 

 narrow. The tenure of land is a national 

 question, and as such it must be a social and 

 political question as well as an economic one. 

 And every year it will enter more and more 

 into all social and political questions, and this 

 fact tenant farmers should clearly recognise. 



But even from the purely economic point of 

 view, though the present system of land tenure is 

 undoubtedly a satisfactory one for the tenant 

 farmer, I think I have made it quite clear in 

 preceding pages that it is by no means as satis- 

 factory to the average run of rural landowners. 

 The net rental received does not represent a 

 fair interest on the landowner's capital, so that 

 it is only a question of a few years before land- 

 owners will be forced from business considera- 

 tions (quite apart from social or political 

 pressure) to take steps to put their finances on 

 a sounder basis. It is for this reason that it is 

 expedient for farmers to support a comprehen- 

 sive land purchase bill, which would provide 

 machinery that could be used when land was 

 changing hands or on any other occasion when 

 it would prove a boon to the tenant farmer. 



lOO 



