AGRICULTURAL DRA^LVTLS PERSON.E 53 



In 1904 the Farmers' Union was started by Mr. Colin 

 Campbell and a few others ; it grew steadily up to 1914, 

 and from that date, owing to conditions created by the 

 war, its growth has been rapid ; to-day it has a member- 

 ship of over one hundred thousand, or to put it in 

 another way one farmer out of every five of all the farmers 

 in England belongs to it. This is good, hut it is not 

 good enough ; every farmer should belong to this Union. 

 If the farmers will work harmoniously w ith the Land- 

 owners' Union (The Central Landowners' Association) 

 on the one hand and with the Labourers' Unions on the 

 other, and if, above all, they desire and pursue a sound 

 and sane policy, then will their power be great in the 

 land — and enduring. But if they narrow down their 

 interests to those of a section and do not work for the 

 development of the whole industry, ever bearing in 

 mind the national point of view — then short will be 

 their day ! 



Let those farmers, who think that the owner ought to 

 be abolished, remember that there is a growing feeling 

 amongst labourers that the farmer should be abolished ; 

 but there should be no question of abolishing any section 

 of the agricultural community. Again let me say to 

 those others who wish to retain the landowner, because 

 they like to use his land at a rental that is below the 

 economic rent, that no measures can be devised which 

 will stop an owner from selling out when the force of 

 economic circumstances compels him. That is a law 

 of economy which it is futile to fight against ; rather, 

 as has been said already, farmers should seize upon the 

 first favourable opportunity to urge the creation of land 

 banks, so as to enable the occupier to buy his farm when 

 need arises. 



Another very important point for the farmer to bear 



