New-York tribune., 1908-03-01
ppTYISH CID AGE PENSIONS,

The uues-; ION Of granting old age pensions is
one uf the foremost and most serious WITH
which the British government has to deal. III
domestic affairs, during the present session of
Parliament. That is not because OF lts intrinsic
i,,,,sortauce or urgency hut because of its sup
u.SId appeal To popular interest and or I's great
cost. The promise al such system has been
made. I,v the government party not perhaps Tor
the. sake of winning votes. but at least with the
axuartuti.n that if will win them. II cannot De
s.,i,i in view of the results of recent by-eiec-
tio;iS that the promise has been any hiore ei-
fcctivp as Il vote getter than was MI Hlad-
stones famous promise of many years ago ["
abolish the income taN. The opposition prom
Use Of Il protective tariff appears to have been
far more St.,r>sful Nevertheless. the govern
meut is hnu.d to fulfil its promise. even though
the doing 80 ma: involve il in enormous e<-
pensps which 10 financier has vet found sat
jsr.rtory WAY of meeting Precisely what the.
scheme of un,lSolis will be is not yet disclosed
F;IIt in lis general principles it can scarcely .e
novel for such systems have for some time IN
various forms been in existence in various cnIn-
tries.
New, Zealand was the first Pritish colony 10
Grant old age pensions. and ii has been doing :"
with general success ard satisfaction for eleven
,-c::rs. Il grants To the sober and moral poor
of both sexes who are over siXty-fve years "f
act. and Who have been citizens of the colony
twenty-five voa"s maximum stipenhs Of 81 -
wce, each. with deductions Oh account of amy
other incomes which they may rrceN above SlIo
a wear These receiving rs much hN $500 q year
get no pensions About - per cent of these
aualihei hy age receive pensions. "ef"ur lis
of them at the na XinIum rate. All the crSt II
borne by the state and il now amounts TO about
81 GI1t1O a wear. Victoria and New South
Wales eight years ago adopted pension schemes.
In Victoria a maximum of 81 week is paid to
each person sixty-flve years Old who is inchpa-
bic of earning a living and whose income from
other sources is less than 81 week. In New
South Wales the pension is - % week TO eacD
one receiving from other sources less than 50 z
week The entire cost in each state is borne l,y
the state. and ii amounts in Victoria to about
81 oo0nOO and in New South Wales TO about
81 2J0.nU0 Il year.
In Germany pcilsious are provided through
insurance Every working person Of whatever
class who is over sixteen years of age and who
receives less than 800 Il year is compelled to
pay "A certain insurance premium ont OF his or
ner weekly wage. To which the employer is com
PEELED to add equal sum and To which the
state adds smaller bonus From the fund thus
created pensions are paid Ia invalid ana aged
pcrsoiS The plan was adopted in 1880 To coun-
teract socialism. In 1904 working people nni
cuplnyprS contributed each $40 2iiO Oo0 and the
government $1l.:i7.J00. and inva..d pensions OF
S.G:,::>1s0 and oil age pensions ~ S-',2!J.o0o
paid. E"lgiun pensions ihe poor "a. q vol
uniarIlF contribute - na insurance fund. and
also tllc aged poor whe have not contribaiaI
bur who are in actual want the total cost being