626 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



196. WHEN THE IMMIGRANT COMPETES FOR LAND 1 

 BY H. A. MILLIS 



The influx of Japanese farmers into the Northwest has altered the 

 terms upon which land is rented. Though all races are represented 

 among the tenant farmers, and though the majority of the Italian 

 gardeners lease the land they cultivate, the number of the white men 

 coming to the several localities about Tacoma and Seattle and leasing 

 land is smaller than formerly. There is in general among landowners 

 an effective preference for the Japanese. They lease tracts of land 

 and require little outlay on the part of the owner for houses and other 

 improvements. In general they are more easily provided for than the 

 members of the other races. Again, they more readily lease land and 

 agree to reclaim part of it, though representatives of other races have 

 made in the past and are now to a certain extent making such improve- 

 ments for the landlord. Finally, the Japanese have been willing to 

 pay more rent than the members of the various white races. Partly 

 because of their strong desire to lease land the average cash rent per 

 acre paid by them has greatly increased from $13 . 15 per acre for 

 land first leased to $20 . 63 per acre for that now leased. The tracts 

 leased are not the same in many cases, but it is believed that the figures 

 given exaggerate but slightly, if at all, the rise which has taken place. 

 Leases are found about Bellevue and Vashon Island where Japanese 

 competition for land in the one year 1907 .caused the rents paid to 

 rise from $20 to $30 or more per acre. In several cases it was found 

 that they were willing to pay more for the land than were the white men. 



The following instance is typical: Two white men were offered a 

 30-acre tract at $10 per acre on the condition that they would remove 

 a few stumps from one part of it. They declined the offer, and a 

 Japanese took the tract, paying $400 per year and agreeing to clear 

 it also. Occasionally, landowners, because of race prejudice, refuse 

 higher offers from Japanese and rent to white men at lower figures. 

 Such instances are rather exceptional, however. More and more of 

 the farms are being leased to the Japanese. 



C. The Renting Contract 

 197. CONTRACT OR COMMERCIAL RENT VS. ECONOMIC RENT 



It is evident that the lump sum which the farmer pays to his land- 

 lord includes, in almost all cases at least, a payment for the use of 

 certain capital-goods as well as payment for the use of land. Separa- 



1 Adapted from Reports of the Immigration Commission, Vol. XXIV, p. 508. 



