“I would by no means do any forcible or legal taking or giving as you call it. Vacant land will never become free by physical force or by statute law. It will be monopolized by law as long as the people, both landlords and landless, do not clearly see the evil of owning it by deed. But just as soon as the landless man and woman begins to see that the landlord lives from the products of his or her labor, which necessitates the masses to remain poor, cruel, ignorant, and as soon as the landlord clearly sees that this poverty, cruelty and ignorance caused by the monopolization of land endangers his life and property, and prevents _him_ from living in a world of refinement in which all can be rich, kind and intelligent, vacant land will become free, and not before. Just in proportion as man will clearly see and feel this, vacant land will become free, like the _chattel_ slave who was gradually set free from the bondage of _chattel_ slavery. At one time they sold for more than a thousand dollars apiece; now they are not worth 15 cents a dozen financially. So with vacant land. In my opinion there is no escape from the conclusion, that the masses of your people will soon see, that there is something very wrong in owning vacant land, for thousands of your foremost thinkers see it already more or less clearly. “Under the head of ‘How the transition from the old to the new order of things was accomplished,’ I shall explain how vacant land on Mars was set free.” “I think I clearly see the effects of it now,” said Mr. Uwins. “If vacant land were free for all, the servants and hired help would work land for themselves, unless the rich paid them just what the laborer actually earns, under which condition the employer can not grow rich from the labor of others. Men and women can grow rich, as you call it, only by the monopolization of land or some other natural opportunities--by appropriating the earnings of some one else. I must confess your land system appears very just and simple when once explained.” “Now let us see,” said Mr. Midith as Mr. Uwins had finished speaking, “if we can summarize the most important points of the Marsian social and economic system, as far as I have told you about them.