258 BRITAIN FOR THE BllITON 



iindiminislied energy, tecbiiical and scientific knowledge, com- 

 bined with high enterprise and abundant capital, when he is 

 uncertain whether his landlord will renew his lease on equitable 

 terms ? Or is it likely, on the other hand, that a landlord, 

 under an nncertain system of tenancies, would be prepared to 

 keep his mills in a thoroughly up-to-date condition to enable 

 him to successfully compete in the world's markets ? Is it 

 likely that under such impossible conditions, which we will 

 suppose to exist between him and his tenants, he would be 

 prepared to spend money with no stinted hand the moment he 

 saw his machinery getting out of date and falling behind in that 

 productiv^e capacity which is practically the only test standard 

 of efficiency in modern mills ? Is it likely that he would 

 condemn that machinery, and then spend fifty thousand pounds 

 in this mill, or one hundred thousand in that, so that his mills 

 may be kept up to the requirements of the times ? This heavy 

 outlay has to be faced not infrequently by those who are 

 engaged in the industry, so that their mills may be equipped 

 with new and improved machinery, and kept thoroughly up to 

 the requirements of modern markets. Enterprising men 

 recognise the necessity of doing this and never hesitate to act 

 whenever occasion demands, and they hardly ever fail to reap 

 the reward of their enterprise. Is it not likely that our land- 

 lord, recognising the uncertainties of the position here postu- 

 lated, would rather " go slow," to see how matters " panned out," 

 as the Americans say ? In the circumstances he could htirdly 

 act otherwise, and the result would surely be disaster sooner or 

 later, and ultimate — Chaos. 



All Industries must be fed with Bkains and Capital 



Whatever your business may be it must be fed with the best 

 you have to give — assiduity, economy, enterprise, tlirift, brains, 

 and capital. That business succeeds best into wliich you work 

 — yourself, your oivn life. Is it likely that a tenant-at-will 

 would put these precious qualities into a business, the con- 

 tinuance of which he could never be certain about ? Surely no 

 man would be such a fool. 



Then is it not conceivable that, under so inharmonious a 

 system, neither landlord nor tenant would be in a position to 

 do the best for himself or for the industry ? The former would 

 surely starve the industry by withholding from it the essential 

 to success— the outlay of necessary capital, while the latter 

 would play his part in that listless, halt-hearted manner, born 

 of the hopelessness of the position, wliich would be bound to 

 encompass failure, or, at the best, but partial success, instead of 



