TENANT-RIGHT AND THE THREE F'S. 181 



CHAPTER XIII. 



TENANT-RIGHT AND THE THREE F'S. 



The sentiment of some politicians in England has 

 caused the Tenant-right system to be spoken of 

 with tolerance. It will not, however, bear discus- 

 sion on principle. That on which legal Tenant-right 

 wholly rests is custom. In Parliament it was put on 

 the same ground as copyhold custom in England. 



In forty years no tenant of mine has ever paid or 

 received a shilling for Tenant-right. If the custom 

 is to be acted on in my case (and thousands of others). 

 Tenant-right is simply impossible. I have given 

 nearly all my tenants larger, many much larger, 

 farms than they had. Every field is near tlie home- 

 stead, and none of them are scattered about. Most are 

 paying smart rents, but there are no arrears. Many 

 tenants have become wealthy. The two rent-days are 

 fixed at times most convenient to them for paying. 

 No excuse except positive misfortune is taken. 



I shall be happy to show them against the tenants 

 of any equal number of acres on Lord Portsmouth's 

 estate, or any other, where Tenant-right is allowed, in 



