What does Riis call the elements god meant to be free but man deals out with such Niggardly hand?

In this quote, Riis is referring to the natural elements, such as air, light, and water, that should be freely available to all but are often unequally distributed by humans with reluctance or stinginess. He criticizes the way in which mankind controls and restricts access to these essential resources that are meant to be shared by all.