SMALL HOLDINGS. 359 



up more parcels ; in bad the small holder sees his chance 

 of buying cheap, and his power of holding out against 

 adversity is called into requisition. The principle of equal 

 inheritance among children is often found fault with in our 

 paradise of the first-born — not that it is not admitted that 

 it is fairer to the younger children, but because it is said to 

 " pulverise " land too much. However, no country which 

 has such " Kentish custom " on its statute book appears 

 at all inchned to give it up. I put the question on my 

 journey of inquiry to the chiefs of Agricultural Departments 

 in the principal countries of southern Germany, whether, 

 in view of the manifestly pronounced popular desire to 

 strengthen the position of the larger peasant owner it was 

 not conceivable that the law would be altered. The reply 

 was : ' ' Why, that is altogether out of the question ; there 

 would be a revolution." In France of course the stagnancy 

 of the population acts as a preventive to over-subdivision. 

 But, apart from that, the loophole left in the "Code Napoleon, 

 borrowed from Roman institutions, which excepts properties 

 which cannot be conveniently [commodement] partitioned 

 from the general rule, is much taken advantage of, the Courts 

 giving a liberal interpretation to the word commodement. 

 We ourselves should have no reason to apprehend excessive 

 subdivision in this country. Really, it is not less, but more 

 subdivision that we stand in need of now. 



However, it is urged that suitably and judiciously as land 

 might be divided among small owners, there is no guarantee 

 that, as time went on, the ownership so created would not 

 be abused, the balance might not be upset. That has 

 actually occurred in some cases. However, the danger may 

 very well and very effectively be guarded against. In 

 Prussia it is so by two distinct means. Under the depolo- 

 nising Commission the State retains part of its mortgage 

 on the property — one-tenth — as a permanent charge, which 

 makes every further disposal of the property dependent 

 upon its assent. Under the Rentenguter system advantage 

 is taken of a right claimable under Prussian law, to secure 

 a right of a veto entered upon the register, without a mortgage 

 being actually held. Something similar might well be done 



