The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-04-22
GARDENING IN THE WASTE
PLACES.

"A 1TlenU calls our aCLcnblOn 10 Cn2
following:
To the Editor of Garden and Forest:
Sir.-It seems to me that had the
writer Of the editorial in Garden and
Forest given the same careful thought
to the suggestion regarding the cuHi-
walton Of vacant-lot gardens that has
generally marked the discussion of
technical subjects in that. paper, his
conclusions would have been differ.
ent.
There is danger in this proposal;
the scheme in my opinion is the en-
tering wedge for land confiscation.
Let the masses once realize that with
free access to land they can make
their own living; give them that free
access in the name Of charity, and 1t
will not be long before the philan-
thropic- features of the case will be
forgotten, and access to land will be
demanded as matter Of right, and
questions of title between the state
and the individual Will be subjected
to the same remorseless scrutiny and
review as similar questions between
individuals are decided now.
You see the danger to property
owners? Even now the right Of the
landlord to ground-rent is Being ques-
toned, that right which may be
roughly defined as a privilege to ap-
propriate part of the earnings of
the labor which must use the land
Suppose lot owners allow the use of
their land for few years without re-
cOmpenSe-in other words, charitably
donate the rent to their tenants
time must necessarily come when rent
will have to be collected or the lots
vacated. Is it likely that the people
who "sQuatted" on the. property for
years will pay or quit without
trouble? Besides their unwillingness
to give up part Of their earnings to
the landowner, is it not probable that
their husbandry, presupposing it sue
ceSSfu], will have created a powerful
public opinion antagonistic to the
landowners, as such?
While 1t cannot be denied that some
beneficial results have to be credited
to the experiment. at it's present
stage. there can be little doubt that
these are due to exceptional circum-
stances. / believe it is not claimed
by its Originators that the potato
patch plan" is a panacea; and their
moderation In this respect is justified
by every feature of the case. Moth
ing short Of renting the land at a fair
valuation will enable the tenants to
maintain their self-respect; and in
case advances are made for seeds, liv-
ing expenses, ETC., the security usual
in such cases should be given to the
lender. No other plan will meet the
exigencies OF the case and remove all
fear in the future Of a dangerous
spirit Of independence among the
r. loScoc Vvhoco nocaccitioc nnxv Tho
object Of philanthrOpic sOlicitude.
GREGORY SMITH.
New York.
We have great respect for all the
accepted sanctions Of law. and yet
seems to US that when it becomes
question On the one hand, between
thousands Of people starving, and. on
the other hand, the possible danger to
property-holders, in the remote fu-
ture, the right of one man to some
thing to eat must prevuit over the
right Of another man to keep his lots
idle, lest evil befall him. Surely HUI
man being is Of more Importance
than a future contingency; and an
empty belly IL present. is of more
consequence that a legal question IN
tutaarO.
1t is not proposed to take occupied
land. but simply to give the poor the
right to raise crops on unoccupied
land, during the season Ut growth.
The whole matter might be regulated
by law. A rent of cent an acre, or
half buShel Of potatoes an acre. would
protect the legal rights of the owner
from waiver, or being, wiped out by
the statute of limitations, and make
the occuplcr tenant.
Our supply OF public land is practi-
cally exhausted. Do not keep the