322 THE FUTURE OF OUR AGRICULTURE. 



policy has long since ceased to be a distinctive " plank " 

 in either political platform. Rather has it conquered for 

 itself a recognised place on either side. Both political 

 parties alike now evince equal eagerness in the pursuit of 

 the desired aim. And if there is one point of disagreement 

 severing the serried host into two sections, the line of 

 severance by no means coincides with the political dividing 

 line. The demand for ownership rather than tenancy is 

 not a Conservative monopoly. It would be too much to 

 say that the entire Nation is convinced of the desirableness 

 of a great change in our rural policy. But there certainly 

 is steam enough at the back of the section championing 

 small holdings to carry such policy farther forward. 



However thus far, so it must be admitted, not very much 

 of that which was asked for has been actually accomplished. 

 We have bungled, as we usually do, not taking bold views, 

 but advancing timidly and sticking to half-measures. We 

 have had two Acts, but only a paltry output of results. For 

 the time the war with all its many demands upon public 

 money and public attention has put a stop to all further 

 progress. We had, up to December 31, 1914, created a 

 certain number of small holdings — 14,085 in all, including 

 1,458 let to societies. But neither was that at all enough, 

 nor did it really, so far as it went, achieve the object which 

 had been laboured for, namely, that of " repeopling the 

 land." For the number mentioned represented as good 

 as no new homes set up, A certain number of small folk, 

 being already housed, had obtained land which one may 

 hope that they will be able to turn to good account. That 

 certainly is a gain. But the rural population has not been 

 increased, nor yet much altered in its complexion. And 

 the number of bona-fide labourers whose feet had been so 

 planted upon the first rung of the much-talked-of " ladder " 

 cannot have been large. 



Among the causes accounting for the meagreness of the 

 result one is, of course, that the British Ethiopian is not 

 given to readily changing his skin, which out of respect 

 for our Cappadocian patron saint appears to have preserved 

 peculiar hardness. The old policy has become ingrained 



