West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-02-13
HOMES.
The Sentiment or tho Average Amertoau
Relative TO an Exclusive Abiding Place

Che sentiment or tho Average American
Relative TO an Exclusive Abiding Place
1t has been said Of tho American peo-
pie that they were growing 70 be a Ma
ton without homes. There is some
Justification for the statement The
average American business man wants
70 live near his place of work. He dis
likes, above all things, to lose the time
occupied in transit. The effect Of this
disposition is 20 cause the building of
houses for residence near the city's
quarter devoted 10 offices and stores.
A. the space for these buildings is linn
tied, houses are erected for the accom-
mpdation OF many families under one
roof hence we have tiers of flats. The
erection OF hdt-houses, particularly in
New York and Chicago. has very large
ly increased the past few years, AMI the
people who own houses and lots, which
they build for their exclusive use a,
homes, and the people who rent entirr
houses, are not, apparrn ly, as numcr-
ically large as they We're.
Now wha is the result OF the increase
in the number of these iat-edificesP
This is n question for those interested
n the best dcvclOpm mt of our great
cities TO consider. 1t is evident tha'
that city would have the best govern
nent and would have the greatest sub-
Aantiality if every head of family or
voter i'm it owned lot within the COR
porate limits. and if every head Of a
family owned the house he lived i'm.
Under such a condition each citizen
would acquire keen interest in NUM-
cipal affairs, and a sharp sense of re-
sponsibility. Good government would
certainly. be the rule, and the city Itself
would acquire the solidest character.
The next best thing to owning a
house exclusively for ones own home.
Is to rent one; but to rent a fiat should
be the last recourse. This can be said
without reference at all to the comfort
Or discomfort of ilat-life. That consid-
Grafton does not enter into the discus
sion. The question is simply, What il
tile best condition for the furtherance
Of the city's welfare? In the very fact
that fiat may be an agreeable abode,
because its owner and nos its inmate
must bother himself about the taxes,
lies the evil to the community. The
man who willingly relegates the tax
paying business and all the attendant
concern to a landlord, and who, there
tore, has no care what the city authuri-
ties may do or neglect TO do, is not The
most valuable citizen. His interest in
the rise or fall of property is at tn,
minimum. The important question Of
the police does not disturb him III
does not have to worry about attending
meetings of property-oWncrs. He be-
comes for the most part inc)nsequent-
'al so far as his release from such obi
cations 90.
The rh .losophers of the school of
Henry q ORG re ogniZe the imp )rtanse
Of the exclusive home, even when adv1-
cat ng the nat on llat OIL of the land.
and. SO long as there is Ownership in
land, it should be the aim of society 70
promote, so far as poss BILE, individual
possess on of an exclusive home, i'm
order that the rich few may not con rol
home life of the moor many, and 10
order that the latter may be free from
he sense OF domination. But as LONG
ds it is not kelly that so des rable n
condition can be realized, the men who
IN ld houses for ngle fam lies, rather
than blocks OF flats, are the men wbc
ar doing the best work toward e
5ubStan ial growth of the city. And il
oil Ows that those who occupy these
ouses are doing bett r for themselves
md the CITY than those who consent to
! we in shelves. Such progress is now
making in the i'm lrovement of tv
transportation facil ties that obiec ions
to locat ons ON account of ieir reno e.
ness are proving less and less seriou d,
and this IS one OF the opeful ind ca.
ions. 1t accordingly becomes the duty
OF those who have influence i'm direct
NO tn IN nds of men to the true duties
Of good citizenship, to URGE M on them
the de irab lily of mul ipl city of sep
arate homes rs against the group NO of
tamil es in omnibus edfces.-G. c.
ldtthelCs, Ia Current.