The wealth--the
capital of the poor man, he said, lie in the health and strength with
which God has endowed him, and if he be denied the means of employing
this capital profitably, what matters it to him that the harvest is
bountiful--that the corn stores are full? Mr. Fagan discusses several
plans according to which Irish waste lands might be reclaimed. 1.
Individual exertion. This, in his opinion, would not answer, because it
would be too slow, too isolated, to do the work in a broad,
comprehensive manner, and within a reasonable time. 2. The next plan
which he passes in review is what he terms joint-stock enterprise. This
he also rejects, as being expensive in management, and therefore
unremunerative. 3. Reclamation by the Government, so commonly advocated,
he also rejects, because he did not think such an undertaking within the
legitimate sphere of the Government, and that it would be inconsistent
with sound policy.
Having set aside these three modes of reclamation, he puts forward his
own.
1. He was of opinion that the principle of _individual_ industry should
be applied to the reclamation of the waste lands, and that a reasonable
share of the fruits of the industry of the reclaimer should be secured
to him.
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