The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-01-02
PENSIONS FOR OLD AGE.
As Advocated and Illustrated by Edward
Everett Hale.
(From the Christian Register. }

{BTOm the CnTlSDldn Register.
The schcolmastern and schoolmistresses
of Boston have formed an admirable
| association of nearly O thousand mem
hers TO, mutual help in sickness. or other
disability of the mem bers. and to make
| some provision for old age. had the
honor and pleasure of being invited to
their great banquet in the Temple last
week.
In addressing them. / spoke Of the
steady advance of the plans Of those pso-
pie who prepare old age pensions, to be
paid equally to oil persons who ale more
or less disabled by time, if, in earlier
life, they have done their share Ct duty
for The State. Such pensions are now
provided for by law in Prussia. In Eng
land the movement in their favor, wisely
and steadily led by Canon Blackley.
seems stronger with every year. 1t has
the firm support of Joseph Cham berlain
who holds place so important in Eng
| lish politics. 1t recommends itself in
IKngland chiefly as very valuabls sug-
gestlon IN simplifying their system of
| pQUtO IcllSl VI tlo PCOIs
| Although the move ment has hold so
strong in Europe, and is studied with
clofe attention, oven where it has not
been enacted into law, found, as re-
| ferred to it, that some of those who heard
me supposed that / was joking. The
| reference started laugh among enough
| OF my hearers to make me understand,
| If ] had headed, that in Now England it
has to work Its way almost from the be-
] ginning. This neither SURF rlsed me nor
distressed me, however. ] think my au-
dience understood, before / had done,
| that it is no joking matter. And l will
say here that have no doubt but that
| before 1850 life pension to all aged peo-
| pie born in Massachusetts, and resilient
there through life, will be part of our
| system. 1 do not say Of our system of
charities, but part of our system of
righteous dealing with our own citizens
1t proposes, In one or another form TO
lay an annual poll tax on all men and
women over19 years of age, for the SIN
gle purpose of paying to the same men
and women a regular annuity Ia their
old age.
It is compulsory insurance providing
for old age. If the person who pays this
tribute dies, or leaves the State. his pay
ments lapse into the general fund for the
relief OF those who survive and remain
1t is easier to discuss such plans with
out adverse prejudice ip New England.
because our people here have BEEN used
for centuries to the payment of an anna
al poll tax. Almost every man in Ne "
Enlgand who reads these lines has paid
such tax. probably amounting to 50,
annually. Two dollars year for SO years
IL s104. In the last 90 years the State of
Massachusetts has often paid six per
cent. for money. IT is easy to see that,
at compound interests. the poll taxos of
people now 10 years of age, make up in
each CASA the sum Of 5000 and more. Plat 9
to the account of the survivors who re-
main in Massachusetts this sum, and. in
addition, the poll taxes of those who
have died or emigrated froul the State,
and each man of 20 or more years has
very considerable amount to his credit,
wis never it pleasss the people of Massa-
chusstts to pay to him an annuity for the
CLOSE of his life.
Canon Blackley, however, does not
argue the question from the basis of
spt cific sums which have been already
paid RS taxes He takes the more Qener-
al ground that the State is indebted to
those who have served it, and that, when
they are no longer able to serve, the
State, which is always young will care
for thcm in their old age. This is the
Wow which an affeotionate or grateful
son takes of the needs OF his parents,
and here is the spirit in which he relieves
them.
Every large scheme by which classes Of
people, like the teachers of Boston, pro-
vide for age by prudent savings, even of
small sums in youth, heralds the time
zens shall make such provision.