Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-08-25
TO PENSION OLD AGE
JOSEPH cHAMeERLAIN'S PLAN POP
ULAR IN ENGLAND.

QLSn HN ENALftfNOs
a Movement e Bensat the Great
working Glasses = Chamberlain ahe
Coming Man in Radical Politics -The
Leader OF the new Democracy.
The most bitterly reviled man in Brit
ish pohtics is Joseph Chamberlain, writes
o correspondent Denounced as rene
gade from his party by the official LIB
erals. as traitor to his principles by the
Radicals, who had looked % him TO lead
the new democracy, he is pursued in plat
form and press with reproaches of scorn
aud acrimony, and his 80 or more Lib
eral- Unionist followers in parliament are
made 10 feel an animosity such as even
the most blatant Tories seldom arouse.
Mr.. Chanbcriain's programme, or,
more exactly, the programme of the Lib
eral- Unionist party, which he practically
formulates. seems, aside from land pur-
chase and allotments, to indicate an effort
TO meet the democratic spirit. The two
chief features are, first, the extension Of
local government by the creation through
out the kingdom of district and parish
counsels, and secondly, the enactment of
some plan for State assistance through
old age pensions and life insurance. II
is needless to say that the Radicals are
at once and emphatically opposed to any
plan of government land purchase or
allotment, but the idea Of the extension
of municipal powers is very popular with
them. There is general feeling in favor
of the idea of old age pensions, but none
of the plans which have been brought
forward elicit any general support. y
Mr.. Chamberlains plan concerning tho
latter Is that any man or woman shall be
able To 60 to the postoffice and open an
account either BY a small payment or by
large payment. This may be added tor
az convenient, and remaining at five per
cent compound interest ~ double the
amount which the Government now
allows on ordinary savings bank deposits
shall, when the contributor reaches ths
age Of So, and then only, be with.
drawn, in the shape Of ? fixed annuity
for the rest Of life N t.9e
But Joseph Chamberlain does not
move without an army behind him.
j witnessed one Of his methods at
getting at popular feeling. He had
friend very quietly call together
number of representative men who
might be supposed to take interest
in the question Of old age pensions, and,
while carefully refraining from setting
forth his own views, he asked for theirs.
1t was a curious picture-the careful, inn
passive politician sitting in the center--a
clean shaven, sharp featured man OF 55,
with a spare, erect figure, faultlessly
clothed in gray, and wearing a gold
trimmed nonocle in his right eye-and
before him, in q semi circle, types of
blunt and outspoken men from the
rough and tumble or life. AZ. 3slt tss,f5
Mr.. Chamberlain said the necessity for
doing something was pressing; that none
of the present means, whether those of.
feted by the govern nent postal savingsor
those offered by friendly societies, were
for some reason OF other able to do any
thing worth TALKING about The first to
respond were several representatives Of
benevolent organizations having I'm
surance features, such as the Odd Fel-
lows, the Manchester Union, the Heart of
Oak. which IN general conversation are
grouped under the head of Friendly
Societies. y These representatives mani
tested 2 strong Antagopism to The pro-
posed competition OF the government and
what they conceived to be an interference
with their vested interests, going so far
as to say that Is subsidies were to come
out Of OF common taxation for the sup
port q goyernment Insurance bureau
the Friendly Societies should have the
right TO demand the same subsidies, too.
Mr. Chamberlain showed that he was
prepared for such opposition, but he was
evidently not prepared for. the views ex-
pressed by the purely trade union repre-
sentatipes--views which are significant
Of the education which Il going on be-
Meath the surface. First, Ben Tiller,
secretary OF the London Dock Laborers
Union. arose and said al don't see what
interest there y IN any such Proposal for
men who have q hard struggle to get the
barest subsistencej men who can not
possibly save anything. And yet this is
the almost universal condition Of the una
skilled laborew Of this country, men
more than. any others subject to the PAN
perss lot and sthe pauper's grave. The
difficulty see Is to get thess people to
live until they are g5. or even 60. : .
+ Frank Smith, Of the Omnibus Union:
II am in favor Of an old age pension By
The State, and i hsIiaye 1t should be gem
erai and compulsory, But I believe It
win beiInpossibleto do oanytling pffsctive
without first giving all men q chance 10
make = conn fortabia living. This can be
done only by first opening the land Of
/. England 10 the workers; by taxing the
dogs IA the mangeF who are holdingsit
idle and specuiating init. BY this means
the revenue viii at the same time be
raised out ol which. to give every man
aud woman ID The realm 4 pension after
tssy come of 3 acerftafn age not q charity
fee. which, under whnteyef name, can be
little hettar than L afforded BY the present
poor hws of raupsr law. but pension.
thatshall g0 70 every man and Woman.
rich or poor, without distinction. after
they hare passed = oertain ages~ 1ss ss'
Mr. Chamberlain ia response said sub
.elantially None better than / can
appraaiaia The sxfanf az want andmisery.
/ have found from unouestionable Off