Thus the rent, and correspondingly the value of farms, increases with the increasing demand for farm products, whether that demand results from the increased number of eaters at hand, from the increased ability of these eaters to supply their wants, or from ready transportation to eaters elsewhere. Many influences in various directions affect the tendency to an increase of land values with the increase of population. Some have been led to the assumption that only the multiplication of food-eaters, increasing the need for land, makes rent possible. Connecting it with the theory of Malthus that population tends to increase in geometrical ratio, while food can increase only in arithmetical ratio, they have denounced rent as a price paid to monopolists under stress of danger from starvation. These forget that rent is payable as truly out of increasing abilities of individuals to meet increasing wants as under the spur of more distressing wants. Indeed, starvation, or the approach to it, never pays rent, however strong an incentive it may be to promise rent.
_Rent in price of products._--Does the value of the land upon which my wheat is raised enter into the price of my wheat? If all land values were destroyed, would the wheat of the world be cheaper, because its cost would be diminished? The price at any time is just enough to bring the supply to market and keep it there. A portion of the supply has cost even more than it brings to its owner. If any brings more than cost, the difference goes either to the energetic raiser using improved methods, or to the fortunate receiver of timely showers, or to the possessor of the fruitful field. Neither the profit of the raiser, through his method and the shower, nor the rent of the fertile field has made a bushel of wheat less or more valuable in market. The value of the wheat in the market makes both the profit and the rent. If the value of wheat falls, the value of best wheat lands sometimes follows; but land values do not directly affect prices of products, though they may be directly dependent upon those prices.
Indirectly, however, the value of land may affect prices of products. Land, in certain speculative movements of society, gains a value for future use. If the fertile fields are held for speculative purposes, less fertile fields must furnish a limited supply at increased price. If the fields are wanted for homes, the supply must come from a distance at greater cost, or be raised on fewer acres by more costly tillage, and will not come till the price is increased. Thus high rents, or land values, if maintained by outward forces may diminish the total product, and so affect prices. But no conspiracy of land holders can affect the price of their products so long as their lands are employed in supplying the market.