Small Holdings and Agriculture 



than have their opponents. Whether that 

 interest is altogether good and sound is quite 

 another matter. 



If the Liberals have no formulated land policy 

 they have at least an unofficial one held by an 

 ever-increasing section of the party — the nation- 

 alization of land. 



The nationalization of land is too large a 

 question and too far removed from practical 

 politics to be dealt with here. England is not 

 ready and for years to come will not be ready 

 for even the discussion of the advantages or 

 disadvantages of such a policy : that being the 

 case it is unjust that the cost of nationalizing 

 inconsiderable bits of land should be thrown on 

 the shoulders of struggling small holders. 



Yet this is the effect of the Act of 1907 ; by 

 its provisions the small holder purchases his 

 holding by instalments, not for himself, but for 

 the County Council. 



It would be well if politicians could be made 

 to understand that a Small Holdings Act 

 developing small tenancy, or a Land Purchase 

 Bill developing small proprietorship, does not 

 constitute a land policy. And that is the chief 

 objection to the Act of 1907 : it does not con- 

 stitute a policy. It may deal with part — an 

 inherent and important part of the land problem ; 

 but because it provides only for part, and is not 

 associated with measures dealing with the other 



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