THE CONQUEST OF ARID AMERICA 



not against him. The coming of new swarms of foreign 

 immigrants into the cities does not alarm him, for ho 

 feeds arid clothes them. When he has passed the years 

 of greatest activity the kindly soil goes on producing, 

 and constitutes his old-age pension. When he dies the 

 soil still continues to produce and to support his fam- 

 ily, for it is his life-insurance policy. Viewed from every 

 stand-point, co-operative capital can be employed to bet- 

 ter advantage in colony -making than in urban house- 

 building. Financially, economically, and socially it may 

 not be extravagant even to say politically the results 

 will be better and more far-reaching. 



The City and Suburban Homes Company of New 

 York, under the successful presidency of Dr. Elgin II. 

 L. Gould, with the generous financial backing of some 

 of the wealthiest citizens of New York, as well as of 

 many small investors, is erecting model tenements in 

 the great city and making model country homes in its 

 suburbs. While the motive of this work is philan- 

 thropic, the method is distinctly commercial. It pays 

 five per cent, dividends, yet serves the highest social 

 purposes. Mr. D. 0. Mills builds workingmen's hotels, 

 and his praises are upon the lips of thousands who have 

 enjoyed their comfortable shelter, yet he makes them 

 pay four per cent, as regularly as government bonds. 

 Many other instances of the safe and profitable use of 

 capital in ways which benefit mankind might be quoted. 



Thero lies the beautiful West, with room for one hun- 

 dred million people. The people nre in existence, and 

 need the lands as badly as the lands need them. But 

 their hands are tied. Only capital can untie them, and 

 at the same time unlock the stores of natural wealth now 



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