CHAPTER VIII 

 A Full Reward for the Tiller 



If the earth is to bnng forth the maximum of its increase, 

 for the feeding of the Nation, in addition to being fully 

 qualified for his calling, it is indispensable that the tiller 

 should in his toiling also be assured of a full return for all 

 that he puts into his land — not in the shape of artificial 

 fertilisers and feeding stuffs only, as the various Agricultural 

 Holdings Acts provide, but also in the shape of intelligence, 

 labour, judgment and risk, such as attach to every business. 

 Men never work at their best when there are others to take 

 toll upon their production, possibly to skim the cream off. 

 Under our present system such security is not provided for. 

 We habitually take pride in our long-established land- 

 system, which has in other times served its purpose exceed- 

 ingly well and has obtained praise, not from our own country- 

 men only, but also from those who were destined to become 

 our pupils and eventually our rivals. 



The feature in that system for which in modern times it 

 is mainly a custom to take credit, is this, that it separates the 

 provision of fixed capital from the supply of working capital, 

 assigning the former to parties supposed to be possessed of 

 substantial means, and therefore not only in a position with- 

 out difficulty to undertake any improvement wanted, but 

 also to be content with a very moderate return upon 

 their outlay — such as is indeed consistent with the greater 

 security of their stake ; and the latter to the working factor 

 in the concern, who, with a less secured stake, throws into 

 the scale besides his money at the same time also his labour, 

 vigilance, intellect, and risk, and is evidently thereby 



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