COVERT-SIIOOTIXG. 119 



its principal attraction. Suddenly all this was changed. 

 A privilege, which by long-established custom belonged 

 to the landlord, was transferred to the tenant by Act 

 of Parliament, with the malicious provision that no 

 special agreement to the contrary, no matter how 

 heavily the landlord may be prepared to pay for it, 

 or may have actually paid for it already in the shape 

 of low rents, should be binding on the tenant. So 

 when the capitalist saw this thing done, and also saw 

 what was done in Ireland in regard to the land itself, 

 he put his purse back in his pocket, saying, " No ! 

 if what I buy is not to be my own, if Government 

 is to step in and prevent me from deriving either rent 

 or amusement from the land which I have fairly bought 

 and paid for, I will put my money somewhere else 

 where, besides the advantage of receiving double the 

 interest for it, if I like to give it away to another 

 person, I can do so myself, and not have the operation 

 performed for me by Parliament." 



It is bad for the tenant, as it encourages him or his 

 son to neglect the real work of the farm, and to loaf 



