The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-12-14
OLD-AGE PENSIONS.
sTARTLrNG SCHEME PROJECTED BY
THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT.


ted States should keep an eye on the
really momentous agitation in England
over old age pensions.
1t is rather startling, when you come
10 think of it, this idea Of granting a
pension to almost everybody 65 years
old who wants 1t. And yet, stated on
It's broadest lines, that Is what the
British government seems committed
to tackle at the next session Of parlia-
ment If the powerful agitation for
this plunge into state socialism sue
ceeds in England II will be a question
OF only a little time before those who
would be benefited by such a policy
will be bringing II up in the United
States, despite the fact that labor there
is better paid and that pauprism is not
proportionately so extensive.
Every argument now being urged in
behalf of old age pensions in England
naturally applies to the United States.
and if the protests of many British
statesmen against the principle OF the
thing prove powerless against the
united voices OF British labor, the inn
plication is. to put it mildly, that the
American cousin might do well to keep
an eye on the progress and the out
come of the debate.
When the select committee appoint
ed by parliament to consider the sub
tect of old age pensions made its sur
prising report recently it was supposed
generally in the United States, to judge
OF the tone of editorial comment, that
the committees positive and emphatic
endorsement of the idea, and it's opin
Ion that the state should make the at
tempt to put it into operation, was
simply bit of harmless philosophiz
ing, put on paper and published in
blue book for political purposes, and
intended to rest eventually in the par
liamentary burying round.
But there is plenty of evidence now
that this view was mistake. Old age
pensions will be the most important
national topic, aside from war ques-
tions, to be considered at the next ses-
sion of parliament, and if a bill pro-
viding for some scheme of old age pen
sions is not passed it will be only be-
cause no agreement could be reached
on the extent to which the principle
should be applied and the way the $50
100000 or so could be raised annually.
BECOMING A CRAZE.
The increase in the demand for old
age pensions in the last few months
has been remarkable. Some plan of
the sort has been before the British
eye ever since Canon Blackley en-
bodied the idea 20 years ago.
Charles Booth. who is generally ad-
mitted to be the foremost sociologist in
T,,a L.,
probably is responsible more than any
one else for the present agitation. He
gathered facts and figures with untir-
ing patience, and the tabulated results
rather startled the public and caused
one former member Of parliament to
break in upon the reioicings of the
queens jubilee by this public ques-
ton:
"Does not her majesty reign over
more paupers than any other sover-
eign or government in Europe?"
1t was estimated that on one par
ticular day in 1892 one person out Of
every five in the United Kingdom who
had reached the age OF 65 years was in
receipt Of public charity, and that one
person out of every three of this age
had applied for relief in the course of
the year. More astonishing yet, it
was found that one working man and
woman out of every two in the coun-
try were more or less dependent on
public charity in their old age.
A LEADING POLITICAL TOPIC.
At the last general election the sub
ject of old age pensioners became
leading topic in every political address,
and many candidates for parliament
had to pledge themselves for it more
or less definitely before they could
hope for election. The dividing line.
II it could be drawn anywhere, seems
to have been generally between the
working people and the wealthier ele-
ment rather than between Liberal and
Conservative.
THE GOVERNMENT SCHEME.
After long deliberation Mr. Chaplin's
committee recommended that a pension
of not less than 1925 or more than
S.75 week, according to the cost of
living in the locality, should be given
to "any person who satisfies the pen
sion authority that he is British sub
ject, is So years old, has not within
the last 90 years been convicted of an
offense and sentenced to penal servi-
tude or imprisonment without the op-
tion of fine.
PENSIONS FOR EVERYBODY.
Let the chancellor of the exchequer
kick as he will, the agitation in favor
Of Charles Booths plan to give pen
sions to everybody who wants one and
has reached the age of So or 70, is
growing nightly. Government clerks
are figuring out what it would cost. At
present the best guess is $50 900 900 a
year, making due allowance for those
who, although entitled to a pension on
account of age do not need it and will
therefore be expected to decline it.
Even so conservative a man as Car
dinal Vaughn has caught the prevail
ing fever. "Surely," he says, "the
rich are bound to tax themselves or to
be taxed for their poorer brethren. |
am always at loss to understood why
the colossal incomes should not be
taxed at higher rate than, say. the
average net income of the upper class
as. 1t is fitting that the surplus and
extravaganza should be more heavily
taxed than ordinary and legitimate ex-
penditure."