The Newtown bee., 1904-04-08
and painting in the house belonging to the Frederick Sanford estate on the hill east of CarmOdy's bridge.
SOCIAL TOPICS.
WHO OWNS THE EARTH?-BY O. O.
 < WRIGHT.

Does it ever occur to the land owners, and to farmers in particular, that there is any moral responsibility attaching to the use of the farms they control? In what sense can it be said that anyone owns any portion of God $ earth? At best we are but stewards, nUldiDK in trust the gifts and pos >+sSit'ns of this lie to use for the com 'IiUn welfare-what moral right thel
 ,as any man to claim as his an, part uf
 he su' face of tbis gk'be on which We dwell, temporarily, except aS he makes the best possible use of it, not just for himself alone, but for the gOOd Of his fellOwmen? We are apt to forget that our private business, as we gravely call It, Of necessity involves also the public welfare. Cupidity makes people short sighted and dull 10 perceive right ana wr,ng relations as between man and aEd His Maker. Indeed. in the long run SeltiShneSS generally OverreacheS so as to defeat itself. We serve ourselves most and best as we serve God and mankind with pure heart and wise judgment.
 What right has a farmer to raise crops of any kind simply to get the most money for his labor, without re- gard to the welfare of those who may buy his products? Is it not putting the cart before the horse to do so? He should get the most money for his crops because they are the best, and therefore perfectly suited to the wants of consumers; and in the long run he will. For we are members of the body pOlitic, and we have mutual interest in all that of right pertains to the common good. And so a mans 0ccupa- tion is his means of doing the most good he can for the sake of our com mon humanity; and his own personal benefit, and happiness comes in as the natural result of his faithful service in good," to use 8 much abused ex- preSsiOn, is not 8 special profession, but is the very soul and spirit of our regular vocation. In whatever we do we should be doing good, for ''The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, the world and all they that dwell therein"
 In what sense, then, does any man own lands except as he holds them for time to use them for the common welfare of society? The farmers' task as himself. His profit and glory is in seeing his neighbors and the general public we'll fed. For if the grocer and banker, the postmaster, barber, black smith, doctor, minister and other factors of social life are not well fed, how can they serve the farmer who feeds them all? But what right has he anyway to produce poor potatoes in order that he may raise big crop just to make great gain? What right has any one to produce an inferior quality of milk for the sake of filthy lucre, when by so doing he defrauds the help less children of their proper nourish- ment and health, and puts discount upon the daily life of the laborerP
 The life and health, and therefore the happiness of the world is depen- dent upon the faithful stew ardship of the farmer who occupies the land, and whose business it is to feed his fellow men. If the patron of husbandry fails to do his duty we must all fail in a measure to do our little stunts in life. We all have right to part ownership in the earth. The farmer is our ser want as we are his servants. And if the landowner does not use tbe portion of Gods earth to Gods honor in the service of man then he ought to have it taken away from him, and given to another who will not abuse the trust. For why should not the farmers of our town supply us with bread, butter, beef, chickens, vege: tables, fruits and all that we need and at fair price.