A Contract with the Landowner
A landowner rented his land to a farmer named Mr. Wise with a three year contract. After three years, Mr. Wise had lost money so he went to the landowner to renegociate a better contract and get the rent lowered.
The landowner told him if he rents it for more money than the last contract, then he would get a real good deal in the future. Mr. Wise went away discouraged but the idea of a good deal in the future was enough for him to keep farming the land.
Three more years went by but this time the weather wiped out his crops during the last year and cost him a substantial financial loss. Mr. Wise went to the landowner and demanded a better deal along with a loan to pay for his losses.
Instead of helping Mr. Wise out, the landowner told him if he rents the land for three more years at a higher rate than his neighbors contract for, then he would give him the best deal in the world. There was only one added demand to this contract and that was to eradicate every weed on his land.
Mr. Wise went away after agreeing with the new contract but he had no idea why he accepted it. He had to borrow money from his neighbors to make the payments to the landowner so he was getting into some serious financial trouble. However, he continued to farm and risk everything for this best deal in the world.
Not only did he lose money on this contract, he hurt his back by hoeing and pulling weeds for three years in row. He ended up in the hospital to have back surgery. This time the landowner came to him to ask Mr. Wise if he was ready to be a landowner. Mr. Wise was totally confused by this offer but he told him he would go for it.
Then the landowner gave Mr. Wise the title to the land, money to pay for all his financial losses and offered to pay for all hospital expenses for his back surgery. Mr. Wise was stunned by such a good deal because it was way more than he ever dreamed about.
The landowner had additional demands with this deal so after Mr. Wise calmed down, he told him since he was a new landowner that he had to stop farming. He also had to find a farmer to rent his land who was willing to be a landowner like himself one day.
The landowner told him he had plenty of land to make more deals with other farmers who were willing to sacrifice everything they had. All Mr.Wise had to do was to offer high price contracts to anyone who would accept it. No one becomes a landowner without giving up everything for it. Those who expect to get the land for free will have to wait for the big land giveaway in the new world.