New-York daily tribune., 1851-07-28
The Western "Farm-and-V Village" Project

To me IdiffTS ~ Inc iTADh'N
In Tie Tribune of Yesterday | perceive
that 4 Mr.. Young has taken exceptions TO the plan
that has been proposed for settling a western Town
ship and village. The principal objection urged by
HIM is, that the plan cOnlemplates al some future
period. subdivision Of the large village plots by
their original owners and the sale of these smaller
portions at enhanced prices, according to the de-
mands of increasing population, and that he project
consequently involves "Speculatl0n' 10 Such
result II is true the plan nterpoSes no hndrdnce,
nor does Il prescribe that the larger plots shall ne 50
sLbdiSldod and sold. Ii Is lcf; optional with each
member 20 sell or not. as his circumstances may com
pei ht the supposlon OF course Is, that as the VII
lage increases there VIII be demand for lOtS-thdt
the arRer plots viii be subdvided into quarter acres,
and disposed Of for what they Will bring. And II two
three hundred poor men combine tholr hard-cane1
savings emlgratc TO the West, settle township and
Village. and by their labor and industry render Their
property valuable, Is there any great improprIety,
worldly speaking, their realizing IN advance
on Their lots prOpOrtlOnaie 10 their outlay oi
money and labor Certainly not. BY dlnt OF
great labor, anxiety and expenditure, MeSsrs ~
tors, YOU have increased the circulation, ana /
mus, add usefulness, Of The Tribune to a very con-
siderable extent but Is there any person stupid
enough TO suppose that The Tribmes commercial
value has not correspondngly increased, and that II
YOU were disposed TO SELL you could not exact high
cr price for II p The subdivision and sale oil the
Western Village Plots IN the contemplated settle
ment, Is parallel case-an afalr oil commerce. IKE
The importation and sale OF goods the manufacture
and ale of stoves, or any other similar operation
against which your correspondent has quite as much
reason TO exclaim. The diSpostonto improve ones
condition Is natural that he does so at the expense
of his neghbor Is the result OF our social system,
and until that s changed, we must either "Spccu-
iac' ourselves, or be "spcculatcd upon" IN turn
There seems 10 be no other alternative, and We can
roi act independently of this evil Accordingly,
every person who connects himself with tins west
ern movement, expects by so dong, TO better MS
condition Not merely a a Dozen As Mr. oO-
serves, viii become independent, but all VII become
SO at amy rate all have an equal chance so lar as
the example IS concerned, 1t IS conceNel 10 bt
good one and II the plan is successful VIII prove
contiguous 1t VIII be the means OF locating thou
sands of families upon the public lands, VINO might,
but for this drag on, lives of want and wretchc ncSs
here IN The oycr-populatcd East.
Instead OF reiardIug the freedom ot the Public
Lands the proposed plan VIII rather tend to a,yance
hat measure for IT'S a practical step thal Way-N
Is the concentration of the landleSS on the land and
# such a settlement can be effected while the people
are obliged 10 struggle against the inconvenience OF
paying for the soil. VIII not more splendid results be
achieved when that inconvenience l. removed r.
Furthermore. when those who JON tins enterprise
become pToprietors Of the soil. they VIII then under
stand rs true value. likewise the intimate relation
ship between man and the earth, and instead OF OPP
posing will give the Land Reform measures their
warm support. Indeed. 80 Tar as relates 10 the
principle of Land Limitation, II Is a cardinal feature
IN tins new movement no member beng allowed TO
subscribe for more than 100 acres OF land and WI
lase plot. The supposl,lon Of Mr. \. that second
and ihlrd purchasers IN the village would raise the
prce of their productions, and thereby gel Oack tnt
extra prlcc paid for their lots, not believed 10 be
welliounded Il being the scarcity or plenrulncSs,
the supply and demand of article which regulates
lis prlcc and not the value OF lots, unless, indeed,
trading IN lots, IN which case, OF course, the
same principle is applicable Mr further thinks
that when the lot holders IN the projected village do
sell their lots that they should reserve To themselves
only what the lots cost, with the interest thereon,
and render the oyepuS 10 the public for benevolent
purposes. Ii Mr.. y can organize and settle town
ship and village on tins principle, should Ike 10
see hm Go II. The great object aimed al IN the
80 FQrN ard illage" movement is something that can
he practically carried out without being hamperei
With killing distractions.
Yours respectfully. WV IADDocX.
Nru-Y0rk, July %. 1851.