The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-05-23
OLD AGE PENSIONS.
Something About the Present M"Hemen
in England.

In England.
How best to help the aced and de
serving poor is a question that Is "e..
worthy the attention of every clVlilZe.
community. 1t is a question that mas
recently been brought before the Bit
.zh Parlia me. tnr Ug tIe rep TT OF
a comm; ttee specially selected for tine
purpose. The committee was apo
ed to consider and report upon the
best means CT improving the condition
If the aged AM dese.v-ng poor, and of
providing for tcOse Of them who are
helpless al d irfi1m.
AS country we have been extremely
liberal to our soldiers and their famli-
les, but no State assistance has eve
been given to o,G soldiers who have
fought only in life's ballle, and fought
2rayeiy and honesty, mil o d age has
.ncapacitatcd them rom fighting any
longer.
or course we have pOOrnOuses and
private charities. but so have other
countries wh.cl give public aid to the
dged and , csc n, COR. Let us SEE,
then, what our EHgi sn cousins propose
10 do.
In ne opinion o. the committee the
genera .!nes upon W...cl scheme fo1
rid age p rs ems III & best be passed
should include the following cond.-
TONS
ANY person W; o satisfies the pen
sion authority that he. first, is a Brit
ish subject; C. ii Is : Xtytive years
II age, TIL d. h~s 20 within the last
twenty years be Il convicted of an Of
fence ana ICntCnt4, - penal servitude
Or Jap CnMu-t -. ..., the option O.
/ fin, Gon IL H. T.. received poor
"Cl;ef Ct, e" , Il n J.ca. relief, unless
under Circumstances Ct a wholly ex-
sCpt.onai i 2r { er o. ing twenty
years prior 10 the application for =
IN u Hftr "a sidsnt within the
district Of the pension authority; sixth,
has not an YnGJi..u .lL-n any source Of
ore Tran tea s..i.l.ngs a week; and
seventh. has enlea yoIeI to the best OF
MS All t h } industry Or by the
eX2rc Sc Ct reasonable providence, 10
make p'o,.i Ii f : imself and those
Immediately dependent on him; shall
'eteive It certificate to that effect and
be entitled to a pension"
On the Continent most proposals for
Did a3c pensi- rs are connected with
:Ompul DRY insurance divided between
lie VIC. hman and Lis emp oyer. In the
.ecent maui y on tie subject which
la6 taken place IN Holland the desira-
o1.ty OF sUch Insurance was nearly the
Oniy { It's on reacN ed. and in Ger
many it is r.glGly enforced. 1t appears,
lowevc "a ~ g" erAlly admitted that
n England the extreme unpCpularity
If suca CCmput-iOn places it outside
-he range CT practical politics.
OF al CJnt.Le tai countries Den
marx hiS tie NEST successful old age
pens on US en-, and this has served az
/ model i'r the one proposed to the
Eng i h Pa ian ent. This was enacted
Uy Jaw r>seed in 1891.
The tnrCe main qualifications for a
pension are that the applicant must be
lative bern, more than sixty years cid
and practically destitute
1HGiC are also thee DISQUALIFIED
liens. The pensioner must not have
mCergOne seat, nee for an transaction
scI, Ia, cd d.s-OEoIaJle, and in respec.
ot VII Oh lie had net received renabili-
.auCn, his pONe ty must not be the
consequence Cf any actions by which.
or the benefit e hi children or others
If subs te &c t.. ca sed by d isorder
y ard eNuaVagant mode CT life. or in
Any o'feI Wy ie hr~ught bout by his
own default, and he mist not have re-
ceived cor law reef at any time
within ten years previous to tle appli-
cation.
Although the communal authority
IAN. o eIuSe a len-ion to any person
who fulfiS all tie conditions, the ma
.ure and the amount Il the relief to be
given is left to their discretion. The
&C; says, The RELIEF must lie suffic. ent
Tor the support of tae person r.. ieved
ard ii hi> family. and for their treat
nent III >lcl,n: SIS but ii may be gwen
IN money or lp kind as circumstances
require and CONSIST in flee admission
o 81 table sSl.m Ct other estab.i h
u.e.l> intended for this purpose"
AS 10 the soul c.s OF this pension
,und 4 seems th,t half is &c lived from
local FUNDS and half is paid by the
State. but the tC,al State contribution
Is limited to a certain annual maxi
MUM.
The old age pension scheme has
WORKED successfully in Denmark and
taS been adopted in many civilized
countries. and suggests the question
why 1t sAoulf not be done In the Unit
ed States. Tnele has always been a
dread o. pateTnalism in this country.
and perhaps this is the reason WIN
Uncle Sam IS called uncle and not
father. At all events, the subject Is
worth some thought