The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-19
THE ENuLISHMAN AT HOME.


In a book of less than four hundred pages,
entitled 1.-The Englishman at Home Mr..
Edward Porritt, a newspaper man both in
England and this country, has collected
a fund Of Information regarding the gov
eminent Of Great Britain and it's institu-
tions SO complete that nothing remains to
be added, and so clear that any reader
can understand it. The author begins with
the municipal administrator passes through
the systems of public charity and educa-
ton and civil and criminal justice, and
ends with the imperial government, Par
Lament and imperial taxation.
Municipal reform in Great Britain began
in 1895, when the average people had no
voice in municipal affairs, and county gov
eminent was in the hands Of the landed
and wealthy classes. The extension of the
right of suffrage by the act of 1892 enfran-
chised the middle classes and resulted in
the act of 1895, which admitted them to
municipal participation. The act of 1867
gave the franchise to all householders in
the towns, and the act of 1884 e~nfranchised
the small householders in the rural dis
tricts. The householder, in the meaning
of the law, Is the head Of a family. This
refers to the franchise in municipal and
borough affairs. The parliamentary fran
chise was conferred upon the rural laborer
in 1884.
In all cities, except the largest, and Dor
oughs the town council, consisting of thir-
ty-six members, T. elected by the people.
one third each year. The aldermen and
mayor are elected by the council from
within or without the council, the mayor
for one year and the aldermen, equal to
one-fourth of the councillors, for six years.
There is no pay attached TO these offices,
ana no qualification except the payment of
rates and residence. The mayor is chair
man of the board of magistrates. At the
present time national politics have con-
siderable influence in municipal politics.. but
has little to do with the actual proceedings
of the town council. The executive Off
GERS hold their positions during good be-
havior, unless promoted for efficiency in
some other municipality. The appointments
are made by the council in open meeting.
usually upon the recommendation of the
committee within whose department and
under whose direction the officers an
pointed will have to work. The executive
business of the council is chiefly in the
hands of the various committees into which
the council divides itself when the wear
begins. Both aldermen and councillors are
on these committees. Municipal matters
attract much more attention in England
than in this country. No large expendi-
.ture of money can be made without the
sanction of the Local Government Board.
State Department, London.
The money paid by the citizen for the
support Of the crown or the imperial gov
eminent, is known as taxes, while the
money paid for municipal purposes. police.
schools and poor fund are known as rates.
Rates are assessed upon the poor law yalu-
alton, which is the fair rental of a house
or shop. That is, the rent Of the property.
or what it would rent for, is taxed. These
rates are paid by the occupier of the
property, except in case of small rentals.
When the owner is assessed, and he
ADDS the rates to the monthly rental.
In a moderately rated borough the rate
Is about five shillings eight pence in the
pound, and it is made up of Improvement.
sewer, borough and poor rates. The bond
holder whose rent is $50 a year is assessed
for rating at f3S, and he would have to paw
an annual rate of flo, 15s, i'd, which is
equivalent to $3.50 on a house for which he
pays an annual rental of $500. That is. the
local TAX Is one-fourth as much as the rent.
If householderS were thus taxed in cities I'm
MS NOGAtiy lhCg hOuiu, like tile EnRtSh-
pay more attention to municipal affairs.
The rates are demanded quarterly in adj
vance,, and the householder's goods can be
seized and sold for their payment. More
over, il a householder fails to pay his rates
he loses his vote in local and parliamentary
elections.
No nation in the world has such an ex-
tensive system for the relief of the poor.
Pauperism in no country is more extensive.
and nowhere is the evil so Systematically
treated. Everything that experience can
suggest for the suppression Of pauperism
has been done. The system takes charge of
the real pauper, and he is as much a pris-
oner as If he were in Jail. The rule for the
support of the poor is that the food and
shelter which the poorest self-supporting
people are able to secure shall be that of
the paupers. The British poorhouse is no
"tramps' paradise"
There are eleven poor law districts i'm
England and Wales, which are divided into
union counties and are subdivided into
unions. which are the unit for the admin
of the law. There are $50 of these
unions, with an average population of about
5000. Each is independent, and admins
ters the poor laws within the territory. The
poor laws comprehend all sorts of pauper-
ism. The miserable husband who deserts
wife and children is sought out, apprehend-
ed and compelled 10 work for their support
to escape Imprisonment in jails where the
rations are plain and short. The men who
are fathers without being husbands are
treated as If they were, and are compelled
TO pay a certain sum for the support of
woman and child, with jail as the alterna-
tive or failure or refusal. Old people Of
good character. and women who can earn
OF a livelihood are given out of door
aid, but the mass OF paupers are sent TO
the workhouse. The tramp is followed close
~ and his vocation made a burden to him.
In fact, there is no part of the British sys-
OF government more comprehensive and
more vigorously enforced than that en-
braced by the poor laws. Each poor law
union defrays the cost Of maintaining its
poor and its workhouse.
In the matter of popular education Great
Britain is not so we'll adyanced as some
nations. Early In the cuuntrY's his