Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1885-01-29
HOMES.


The Sentiment OF the Average American
Relative TO m Exclusive Abiding Placc.
II has been said Of the American peo-
pie that they were growing to BE- q Ma
tion without homes. There Is some
Qualification for the statement. The
average American business man wants
10 live mat his place Of work. He dis
likes, abos ) al things, TO lose the time
occupied in transit. The effect Of this
disposition Is to cause the building Of
houses for residence near the city's
quarter devoted 20 offices aud stores.
As the space fer these buildings is linn
tied, houses arr erected for the accom-
m )datiOn % many families under ono
roof. Heprc we ave tiers Of flats. The
erection ot ilat-houses, particularly In
New York and Chicago, has very large
~ increased the past few years, and tho
people Who own houses and lots, which
they tuild for their exclusive use as
homes, and tho people who rent entire
houses, are not, apparently, rs numer-
ically large MS they were.
Now what Is the result of the increase
in the number Of these ilat-edifcesi
This Is n question for those Interested
In tho bost development of our great
cities to consider. IL Il evident that
that city would have the best govern
mcnt ald would have the greatest sub
stanliility il every head Of a family or
voter in It owned n lot within the cor
pirate limits, and If every head Of a
family owned the house no lived in.
Under such a condition each citizen
would acquire n keen interest in NUM-
cipal affairs, and a sharp sense of re-
sponsibiiity. Good government would
certainly be the rule, and the city itself
would acquire the solidest character.
The next best thing to owning a
houlc exclusively for ones own home,
is TO rem 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 i~lat-lifc. That consid-
Grafton does not enter into the discus
sion. The question is simply, What Is
the best condition for the furthrrance
of the city's welfarep In the very fact
that a flat may be an agreeable abode,
because its owner and not its inmate
must bother himself about the taxes,
lics the evil to the community. The
man who willingly relcgltes the tax
paying business and all the attendant
concern to n landlord, and who, there
fore, has no care what the city authors
ties may do or neglect to do, is not the
most valuable citizen. His interest in
the rise or fall of property is at the
minimum. The important question OF
the police does not disturb him. lie
does not have to worry about attending
meetings Of property-owners. He be-
comes for the most part inconsequeDt-
ial, SO far rs his release from such obi
cations GO.
The philosophers Of the school of
Henry George recognize the Importance
of the exclusive home. even when advo-
eating the naturalization Of the land,
and. so long as there Is ownership in
land. il should be the aim OF society TO
promote, so far a possible, individual
possession Of an exclusive home, in
order that the rich few may not control
the home life OF the poor many, and in
order that the latter may be free from
the sense of domination. But as long
ne ii is not likely that so desirable q
condition n be realized, the men who
build houses for single families, rather
than blocks of flats, are the men who
are doing the best work toward the
substantial growth of the city. And it
follows that those who occupy these
houses are doing better for themselves
and the city than those who consent to
live in shelves. Such progress Is now
making in the improvement OF city
transportation facilities that objections
20 locations on account Of their remo.e-
ness are proving less and less serious,
and this is one of the hopeful indica-
tons. 1t accordingly becomes the duty
Of those who have influence i'm direct
ing the minds of mcn to the true duties
Of good citizenship, to urge upon them
the dc Inability of a multiplicity Of sop
arate homes As against the grouping Of
families in omnibus editices.-G. O.
Matthews, in Current.