TENANCY IN THE SOUTHERN STATES 533 



This is interesting, especially in that it recognizes the undoubted 

 fact that speculation and tenancy are intimately related. When 

 men buy land with a view to sale at a higher figure within a com- 

 paratively few years, even though the income in the form of rent 

 be of secondary consideration, a large portion of such land will be 

 for rent. Except in a new country it is seldom profitable to hold 

 land out of use while waiting for a rise in price. Therefore the 

 land of the speculator is for rent, and in the larger share of in- 

 stances such a landlord prefers to rent for cash, and worries very 

 little about the welfare of the farm or of the tenant. Against these 

 conditions the Renters' Union of America passed a series of 

 long and drastic resolutions, among which was one favoring a tax 

 " to the limit on all land held for speculation or exploitation." 

 They declared that " use and occupancy " was the only just basis 

 for title to land. 



At the meeting in 191 1 the union took a stand against cash 

 rent altogether and voted that share rent should not exceed one- 

 third of the crop in grain, or one-fourth in cotton. At the 19 12 

 meeting, however, this action was rescinded and the matter left 

 to the discretion of the county organizations. The success of a 

 tenant movement in the South will find its greatest obstacle in the 

 high proportion of negro tenants, who are not capable of effective 

 organization. Where the majority of the farmers of a state are 

 tenants and at the same time voters, it would seem possible that 

 political action might be taken by which the speculative value of 

 land would be reduced. That this would reduce rents is another 

 question, though it might result in larger ownership of land 

 by farmers. 



Unquestionably, the greatest evils of tenancy center about the 

 fact of frequent, almost constant, moving from farm to farm. In 

 the South about half the tenants move every year. The average 

 period of occupancy by tenants is therefore but a very few years. 

 In the North the same condition predominates, though not in 

 a form so exaggerated. Home and neighborhood ties, interest in 

 schools, in organizations, or in any community affairs can hardly 

 be expected of people who are almost destined to sever their 

 connections with a given community and move to another within 



