The sun., 1894-10-15
The English Cnionist Bribe To SO
cialisnt.

In a speech made recently by Mr.. CHAM
bERLAfN at the conference of the Liberal
Cnionist Federation, he announced that So
eial reform would henceforth be the primary
aim Of both sections Of the Unionist party.
Nothing OF that sort, he said, could be ex-
pected from the Gladstonians, whose time
would bc fully occupied in fulfilling their
home rule programme, In satisfying the de-
mand for the disestablshment Of the An.
glican Church in Wales, and in pressing
their campaign for the virtual suppression
Of the House Of Lords. If, then, the work
ing millions believed that they had claims
upon the State, they must look to Cnionists
for the recognition Of them, and Mr..
CHAMBERLAIN assured them that they
would not look in vain. He has been, it
seems as good as his word, for an outline Of
a hill drafted by him has been published, a
bill which is said to have the approval Of
his party, although It goes much further in
the direction Of State socialism than any
German or French legislation. 1t is impos-
sible to scan the details of the proposed
measure without a feeling of amazement
that socallet Conservatives should sanction
1t, and should not perceive it to he fraught
with far greater dangers to the existing so-
cial structure than the merely constitutional
and political changes desired by the Glad
stonian party.
some minor features Of Mr.. CHAMBER
LAI:'s bill merit no particular attention, be
cause they represent no further concessions
10 workingmen than the Gladstonians may
bc disposed TO make. We refer to the sug-
gc-ted restriction OF pauper alien immigra-
ti"r. and the limitation of the hours OF
labor in shops and factories. The provision
with respect to the liability OF employers
will be even less acceptable than the Glad,
s,oni1n substitute, because it contains a
coa:racting-out clause. to which the ma.
jIri:y of employees are vehemently op
I, r>eti. But II is not these proposals which
give MIR, CHAMDEILAINs measure a dis
tu"tive and revolutionary character. His
y nject contemplates the bcstowal Of old
Ey pensiUns on n plan far more comprehen
sivr than tina, of BIsNAGCKs old age in
sIrsuce fund, and imposing much heavier
yearly burden ON the national treasury. II
vunld DO impossible for the State to pro
vide the vast SANS OF money called for by
tris pension scheme. without enforcing q
progressive income tax which should carry
a. unheard.Ot lengths the principle ol
lnulcting the thrifty and well-to-do Of the
proceeds of their skill, industry, and econ
Umy, We find it hard to believe that the
Duke of DEvONsHIRE and Lord SALISBURY
who sharply criticised Sir WILLIAM lIAE
COURTS budget ON the ground that it as
serted the propriety of despoiling the Haye'
for the benefit Of the Have Nots, will assent
t. Mr.. CHAnBERLAIN's much more sweep
ing application of the principle
But the old age pension feature of Mr.
CHAMDERLAIN's bill is not the sole or th'
most startling embodiment of the doctrine!
of State socialism. 1t is proposed to giv'
every workingman house of his own, only
one-fiith OF the purchase money being sup
piled by himself, and the remaining four
fifths being advanced by the State at sucl
"a rate of interest as would enable the bor
rover to pay on the debt incurred in tel
years. Obviously, the credit OF the Stat
would be taxed to the utmost To borrow th'
tremendous sum required to provide dwell
ing houses for the millions of wOrkingmeT
in Great Britain. But this would not be th'
worst outcome of the experiment. Their
could be no guarantee that the immens'
advances made by the public treasur!
would be repaid. The wOrkingman Is mi
gratOry; he must seek work where IL can b
got It is against his interest to be tie'
for ten years to given neighbOrhOOd. Wer
he 30 tied, he would be practically trans
formed, during the period named, into ser
ddscTtptGs gieb1, II, on the other hand
he found himself forced to leave one neigh
bOEhOOd for another in quest Of employ
ment, what would become Of his vested In
tereSt in his dwellingi He would have n,
time to spend in looking about for pur
chaser; in practice, the State would have 4
Duy his interest, and thus ultimately woul'
lie loaded with the ownership OF a stu
pendous amount Of untenAnted and unpro
duetiys real estate. Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN
dos not seem to see that the case Of artisans
who are and must needs be migratory,
altogether different from that Of the Iris
peaSAnts, Who are stationary, and 70 whom