112 The Tariff and the Farmer. 



The South Atlantic and South Central Divisions. 



These two divisions include the former slave-holding 

 states (save Missouri), the District of Columbia, Dela- 

 ware, and Oklahoma. Here again were abnormal condi- 

 tions that so affected the situation as to prevent the 

 drawing of fair conclusions. The general impoverish- 

 ment of the planters by the war and the freeing of the 

 slaves caused a large part of the land to be thrown on 

 the market even as late as from 1880-1900. At the same 

 time there were hundreds of thousands of former slaves, 

 or the children of such slaves, who desired to obtain 

 farms, but few of them had means to purchase. So here 

 it is not strange that the percentage of gain in rented 

 farms was nearly three times greater than increase in 

 ownership. Even if under fair conditions there had been 

 a great degree of prosperity, the natural indolence of the 

 negroes, when they are their own bosses, would prevent 

 the gradual acquiring of land ]30ssessions on the part of 

 the greater number. 



The North Central Division. 



This includes Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wis- 

 consin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North and South Da- 

 kota, Nebraska and Kansas — a magnificent array of 

 agricultural states that comprises within its limits more 

 than half the value of all farm property in the United 

 States. If there was prosperity anywhere in the agri- 

 cultural community, it should be found here. What is 

 the record for this division! Seventeen per cent, increase 

 in ownership from 1880-1900 and 76% gain in the num- 

 ber of rented farms. Of those who owned farms almost 

 42% were mortgaged. 



