Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-04-04
old ACE PENSIONS
Million Pounds to be Set
Aside for the Purpose.
Measure Would Hell p 100000
Aged People.
HAS Been Long and Strongly Advo.
Gated by the Labor Party.

Chancellor OF the EXchcquer will deal
with the question Of old age pensions
when he lays his budget before the
House OF Commons this month. The
provision of a great national pension
scheme, such as was advocated by
Charles Booth, would cost tens of mil
lions Of pounds every year, but moth
ing like this is contemplated immcdl-
ately, and the foundation Of the
scheme will be laid by a grant to the
very aged of n small weekly sum.
which will probably be administered by
the poor law guardians. A sum OF
about a million pounds in the new
budget will probably be devoted to this.
State provision for the destitute in old
age has been 50 often discussed. ana
has been so prominent on election
platforms that many members on both
sides of the House are committed to the
principle. Mr.. Asquith is fortunate in
being the first chancellor of recent
years in the position to give practical
consideration to the question.
He holds office at a time of great
trade prosperity. A succession OF for
tuitoas circumstances has left him with
n snlendid surplus. and in framing his
budget for the coming financial year
he can estimate for approximately
seven million pounds that will not be
wanted for the everyday expenses OF
the notion. The most pressing CLAIMS
on him are those of the aged poor ana
the harassed income-tax payer, who
has been groaning for years under the
shilling imposition. Mr.. Asquith,
however, committed himself some time
ago to the pensions ideal. In NoVem-
her last, when deputation waited on
him and the premier, the chanccii"f
told them that nothing was nearer 10
his heart, and that he considered the
matter one of extreme urgency.
The premier declared that as soon as
the government had the time and the
money a universal scheme would he
introduced; but a universal scheme IS,
in the eyes Of all financial authorities.
out of the question in time ike the
present, when the country has only
made a sound beginning in the task Oh
emerging from critical PERIOD
Charles Booth and the authors of the
other feasible schemes have accepted
sixty-fyc of the minimum age and five
sh;lIiugS n week as the minimum sum
IN which to estimate. ON this basis
tho cost Of a universal scheme would
be enormous.
A departmental committee Of "X-
merits presided over by q very abb"
civil servant. Sir Edward Hamilton.
considered the question in 1901. ana
they estimated that there are in the
limited Kingdom 100000 people more
than sixty-five years Of age.
IN give these two million people 4
mansion would cost G26,O00. 900 year.
But Sir Edward HamiltOn's committee
aJso pstjrnat ted that the number of aged
nersons who had sufficient income to
nlpce them outside the necessity Of Il
peiIslor,, added to the criminal anu
worthless classes ana those who wer"
either not born in the country or lived
some wears outside of it, would amount
10 about ] $3.50. 900. leaving $4,000 really
eligible persons over sixty-fiVe.
To give a pension Of IS a week TO
these and a little more to the very aged
would cost approximately as follows:
e. and over ls1oeo.OoO IS and over 10000
20 and ever E6,000,000, 50 and over l,Wcool
These figures are of course. only APP
proxmate, and cannot have any
flnality, because the population is al
ways increasing, and the grant OF
State pension would undoubtedly pro-
long many lives, and the cost would
rise from year to year. private
member. w II. Lever. has introduced
measure in the House of Commons
which aims at providing pension for
those over seventy-five in the year
1908. for those over seventy in 1909,
and for those over sixty-fivc in 1910.
1t has been stated that the
Chancellor will allocate a million
pounds towards the foundation of ms
old-agc pension fund. and this may be
confined to the very deserving persons
over sevcnty-fivc. Working forward
on these lines towards n general
scheme the Chancellor will need in II
few years an annual sum Of ten
millions for eld-age pensions. There
is every indication that the revenue,
even on the present narrow basis Of
taxation will produce a ton million
surplus in n few years. This, OF
course, depends on the superstition that
political horizon continues as fair as
at present. and that trade keeps on in
creasing in the same high ratio.
The subject of old-age pensions is
one of the foremost in the programme
of the labor party. and they are whole
hearted in favor of the universal pro-
posal They declare. however, that IL
the project has to be carried through
by instruments, q beginning should be
made with women. Widows over sixty
five are, it is urged. the most deserving
class of the community.
The Labor party also favor the pay
ment of pensions to the deserving and
the worthless alike, but the majority Of
social reformers are against the in
clusion of the following:
Those born outside the British Isles.
Those who have lived abroad for
several years.
Those convicted of crimes.
Those in receipt of more than los n
week.