103] ECONOMIC WORKINGS OF THE SYSTEMS 103 



ciple involved is admirably illustrated in the case of the 

 "third and fourth" system. In the preceding chapter 1 

 it was pointed out that this particular system had been 

 practically abandoned in Georgia and the reason there 

 ascribed for its decay is that the landlords say they re- 

 gard it as an unfair arrangement for themselves. The 

 landlord's reason is thoroughly sound and legitimate; 

 nevertheless, when it is remembered that the system had 

 a wide prevalence twenty-five years ago, it is well worth 

 while to subject the matter to a little closer analysis. 



At the time of its origin and development the " third 

 and fourth " system was based upon a sound economic 

 principle, namely, the imputing to the land of that fraction 

 of the product for which it is economically responsible. 

 Land was relatively abundant in those days ; but as the 

 population of the state has increased, land has become 

 a more and more important economic factor, so that the 

 part of the product imputable to the land is no longer 

 represented by the percentages of former days. The 

 failure of the system to give scope for the operation of a 

 fundamental economic principle has practically effected 

 its overthrow. It is only in a non-progressive commu- 

 nity that such a fixed percentage plan of distribution in 

 agriculture can be a permanent arrangement. 



If the above is a correct explanation of the decay of 

 the " third and fourth " system, why has not the same 

 force operated to overthrow the cropping system, inas- 

 much as it, too, is based upon an inflexible imputation 

 principle? It had its origin in a period of relative land 

 abundance, just as was true of the "third and fourth" 

 system, yet it has continued to increase in importance 

 certainly up to within a decade of the present time. 



1 Supra, p. 84. 



