go LAND REFORM 



poor. Certainly not ; our masters have taken care of 

 that. They have taken care that the poor shall not 

 acquire property by custom, as all other classes have 

 done. But if the commons are not the property of the 

 poor, they are just as little the property of those who 

 take them. They cannot make them their property 

 without an Act of Parliament, and they have had 

 no difficulty in obtaining any number of such Acts 

 from two Houses of their own making as often as they 

 pleased, whether the Government was liberal or con- 

 servative. It is only in the last three years that they 

 have been forced, to their own great indignation, to 

 grant a temporary respite, chiefly by the public- 

 spirited exertions of Professor Fawcett and of that 

 very valuable body, the Commons Preservation 

 Society."^ 



Turning to the economic side of the question, it 

 was claimed that the result of this great pillage was 

 for the public good by improving agriculture and 

 increasing the productiveness of the soil. But it can 

 be shown, by facts that can hardly be disputed, that 

 all the advantages claimed could have been secured 



^ " Dissertations and Discussions," John Stuart Mill, Vol. IV, pp. 280-1 

 (Longmans). 



The general public are greatly indebted to the Commons Preservation 

 Society, which during many years past has done much valuable work. 

 The society is very active in watching such bills before Parliament as 

 affect commons and open spaces. Its efforts in this and in many other 

 ways to guard the public interests have been successful in a number of 

 notable cases. (See " Report" of the Society 1902-3.) This association 

 is well worthy of the support of all those who are interested in rural 

 questions. 



For further information touching matters connected with inclosures see 

 *'Open Spaces, Foot Paths, and Rights of Way," by Sir Robert Hunter; 

 also " Essay on Preservation of Commons," by the same author. Sir 

 Robert Hunter has a complete knowledge of the subject, and during 

 many years past has given great and special service to the cause of 

 commons preservation. There is also a useful little pamphlet by Percival 

 Birkett, Hon. Solicitor to the Commons Preservation Society. 



See also " Six Essays on Commons Preservation " (Sampson Low, 

 1867). These are competition essays for prizes given by Mr. H. W. Peek. 



