The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-22
Will OLD Age BE Pensioned In England =

project now under discussion in the
House Of Commons. and accepted In prin-
ciple by all the political parties. shows to
what an extent In England the doctrines Of
State socialism have supplanted the views
Of the orthodox economists. The bill to
which we refer provides that the imperial
exchequer and the local rate payers shall
between them. In equal proportions, pay .
pension OF sl.75 week to every man or
woman slxty-dve years old who desires
the money. who has not been convicted Of
crime. who has not accepted poor relief.
and has subscribed to q friendly society
during some part Of his or her life. Mr..
CHAMBERLAIN warmly advocated the plan:
Sir WILLIAM HARooURT. the Chancellor of
the Exchequer. acquiesccd,ln 1t; and another
member o; the Government. Mr.. SHAW
LEFEvRE. although he criticised the details
Of tho proposal. did not resist it. but con-
fned himself to securing an adjournment
of the debate until the report OF tho Royal
Commission on the subject shall have been
submitted.
1t will be obvious that this bill contem-
plates something very different from the
old-age insurance scheme which has been
carried out In Germany. Under the latter
plan fund Cor the maintenance OF work.
tnIman IN his old age Is created by means
Of contributions from three sources. name
~. the woraingman himself. his employer.
who Ia regarded as having special duty
toward him. and this State. which is held
70 be Interested In promoting habits OF
thrift and foresight among Its citizens. The
aged workman. who becomes the beneficiary
OF fund thus formed. does not feel HIM
self q recipient OF charity. because he has
himself furnished large part OF the accu-
saulAted money by which he profits. Tho
English project will have the opposite effect.
Instead Of furthering. 1t will discourage
economy. All that workman. or any other
man. will need TO do to make sure of being
maintained In idleness after he reaches tho
age Of slxty-dve. Is In the mean time to
keep out of jail. to avoid receiving relief
under the poor laws. and to make a mini
mum subscription for his own benefit TO
some friendly society for brief period. say
. year or q month. In short. the proposed
law virtually bids him to take no thought
for the morrow. either for himself. his wife.
or his parents: because any Of these. on
attaining the age designated. can rely upon
obtaining pension OF at least sl75 week.
We say at least that sum. for in the
debate ON the project II was pointed out.
and not disputed. that while the suggested
pension might prove sufficient In some
rural districts, 1t would not be adequate In
London. where $3.50 would be required.
The absurdity of relieving the beneficiary
of an Old-age pension fund from any share
In the creation OF 1t. La especially patent in
England. where the wages OF workingmen
nA Ia ~ al
materially larger than they are in Germany.
But the practical objection TO the proposed
law Is the extreme difdeulty. II not impossi-
bility. Of sustaining the financial burden.
1t was demonstrated by Mr., sHAw-LEPEvRE
that the bill providing for an old-age PEN
sion Of only sl.75 a week would involve an
annual outlay of $4,000 900. which would be
increased to upward OF $40. 900 900 If the
pension payable In urban localities should
correspond to the recipients necessities. 1t
was urged. on the other side. that what
you'd be spent in old-age pensions would
20 saved on poor rates. but no such saving
would be possible. The aggregate amount
now expended In the form Of poor rates is
only ss6OOo.O0O . year. three-hfths OF
which Is laid out on buildings. officials.
iunatics. poor people under sixty-ive. and
children. As all this outlay would con-
tinue. not more than sl4.OOo.OO0 could be
subtracted from the present poor rate, on
account OF the poor people over siXty-hye
Who would become entitled TO pensions.
When we consider the difficulties eneoun-
tered BY the chancellor Of the ExeheQusr in
providing relatively trivial sum for an in
crease Of the navy. We may well doubt
whether the talk about expanding from
$4,000. 600 TO SlOO. OOo. 900 In oldage pensions.
will ever come to anything. The practical
EeAGIE q the discussiOa vii probably be