Page:Peasant proprietary in Ireland; a rejoinder.djvu/17

 industry. That the material condition of the Flemings is withal satisfactory M. de Lavergne attests when he says—

And the same eminent economist also shows that the obstacles to the well-being of parts of Belgium 'are not the number of small properties, but the number of small tenants.' The condition of the Belgian peasant also proves that this form of agricultural economy favours largely the increase of the elements of agriculture, creates its own capital, does not exclude the employment of machinery, even of the most costly description (such as steam ploughs, &c.), and is not attended with an excessive increase of population. In fact I may remark en parenthese, that this stock objection to peasant proprietary is quite exploded—thoroughly contradicted by the experiences of every country.

As to the working of the plan in Norway, where the system is, according to Mr. Mill of oldest date, a few observations from Mr. Laing will sufficiently explain the situation:—

Coming nearer home and taking a look for a moment into the little isle of Guernsey, what do we find? Speaking of it, Sir George Head says:—