New-York tribune., 1891-12-31
FREE TRADE AND ACPERISM.

More than one-third of the entire population
Of England and Wales over sixty-iive years OF
age are paupeIs. This is the terribly dishearten-
ing result reached by Mr.. Charles Booth, after
an exhaustive investigation of the records OF two
representative unions in London the Stepney
and the st. Pancras He infers from these
records that about sixteenth OF the entire pop
ulation, or 1,s37,932 persons. in England and
Wales are receiving pauper relief in one form
or another, and of these S2,573 were over sixty
years of age, and 5O7 $50 were over sixty five
years Of age. As the total population over
sixty years of age was only 1922, ,695, the
proportion of paupes over that age was 3s4
per cent of the whole number of inhabitants.
This is indeed a gloomy fruitage OF Free
Trade II may be frankly admitted that other
causes notably the laws of inheritance and the
mOnopoization of land, have much to do with
this matter. But it can hardly be claimed, even
by the most ardent Free Trader that these other
causes account for the extraordinary fact that
more than third of the aggregate inhabitants
in Great Britain above the age OF sixty-fve are
paupels. For such startling fact there can be
only One explanation, namely, that the economic
system there in force makes it well-nigh impos-
sible for patient industry to earn even the most
modest provision for old age. Surely more than
half the aged have grown children who are able
to provide for them, so that whether owners OF
property themselves or not, they are not objects
of relief. Another fraction of the aged, perhaps
not relatively large and yet considerable in num-
Der, must have inherited wealth or acquired
wealth during a long life of activity. The re-
naming population above the age of sixty-five, it
would seem, substantially all requires relief and
is in a condition of pauperism.
1t is unnecessary to say that this is not the
state Of things in this country. Even in the
most crowded States or cities, even where the
population partales most largely of Old World
elements and characteristics, there is nothing
like such proportion of the aged in need of
relief. Protection does not give everybody all
the wages he can spend, nor all that he may
want. But il does give to all enough to enable
them, with reasonable economy during life Of
industry, to save something for old age. The
fact that in the manufacturing States there may
be found more than one depoStor in savings
banks for every family tells its own story. The
working population in this country is as
whole not only able to provide for itself, but it
does so provide and in addition it sends millions
every year across the ocean to help the impover-
ished families in the Old World.
1t must not be inferred that exactly the same
results as have followed from many years of
Free Trade in Great Britain would Immediately
follow Free Trade in this country. 1t takes
long time to degrade an entire working pOpula-
ton. The depression of wages of labor is al
ways a slow process, resulting only from con-
rnuod and urpent necaSSty (,pnerotionS after
generations might have to be deprived Of oppor-
tunity and hope before the resources of all would
be 20 far exhausted that the dreadful condition
reported by Mr.. Booth could obtain. But Free
Trade here would put this country on the road
toward the same conditions. 1t would force
labor down TO the lowest possible wages, in order
to sustain competition with the Old World and
then the gradual exhaustion of savings, and the
selling of homes, and the creation of an enor-
nous pauper class would inevitably follow.