36 BULLETIN 694, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Perhaps more important considerations that influence farmers to 
become owners as soon as it is possible to do so on a satisfactory basis 
are those relating to the very numerous advantages arising from 
ownership.- The sense of security and independence which owner- 
ship gives is a valuable consideration. The feeling of satisfaction in 
owning a home is undoubtedly one of the factors that influence many 
farmers to buy land. Finally, the greater independence of the owner 
as compared with the tenant who is in the nature of things more or 
less subject to dictation from the farm owner, and the fact that the 
owner is never under the necessity of moving from one farm to another 
because of disagreements with his landlord, seem to justify whatever 
financial sacrifice may be necessary in changing from the status of 
tenant to that of owner. 
From the standpoint of the public welfare, it is fortunate that the 
tendencies just mentioned prevail so generally. As a rule, tenant 
farmers are not a permanent part of the local citizenship, and are not 
so much interested as owners in the maintenance of schools, churches, 
and roads. 
The figures of the table, however, indicate quite clearly that in this 
section it is a mistake for the young man with small capital to attempt 
to become an owner before his accumulated capital renders it possible 
for him to make a satisfactory first payment on a farm of considerable 
size. Even where the first payment required is only asmall proportion 
of the total value of the farm, interest on deferred payments consumes 
so large a proportion of the farm income that unless the business is 
one of considerable magnitude there is not enough left to permit a 
satisfactory standard of living. It is, however, desirable that the 
tenant, when he has accumulated sufficient capital to become an 
owner on a proper basis, should purchase a farm, 
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