The National tribune., 1908-05-21
pAuPERssM IN ENGLAND.

|
old-age Psnsie}Sis seem to be in the
air, and weamayo as well prepare our
selves for an invasion of the idea. The
same class bf men who have been urg.
ing the initiative and referendum and
other foreign fads will soon be on the
warpath foroold-aSe pensions. The Brit.
ish Government has taken a decided
step in this; direction by providing ir
the budgetIfor the coming fiscal year
for pension of five shillings (s1.25)
weekly for 5all persons over 20. except
| criminals. lunatics and paupers. 1t !:
| estimated that the maximum number
of pensioners is not likely to exceed
100000, SO that the cost will not exceed
f6,000,0 900, or sS0, 900, 900, IN any year
Married couples are to have seven shil-
them. This money is to be paid out OF
the National Treasury. and to begin
Jan. 1, 1909. No one In receipt of 10
shillings week income is tc be entitled
to the pension. -
The condition of England is peculiar
and renders the trial of this system
more suitable than in most countries.
A very large proportion of the popula-
ton are operatives in factories or Ia
borers upon estates, and have a fixed
status, which never changes from gen.
Grafton to generation The condition is
wholly different from this country.
where we expect every laborer to rise
to competence in the course of his life.
Every American is supposed to be able
to provide himself with a home and
by age from active labor. Then he
usually finds some light employment to
exc out his savings. In England it is
wholly different. The mass of people
spend all that they earn from week to
week. and when they get old and feeble
have no outlook before them than the
"work'us"
The statistics of pauperism seem
frightful, and the number of paupers
is constantly increasing. England and
Wales have a population of 32,500,0 900,
and of these there are in the poor
houses, hospitals, asylums and receiv-
ing outdoor relief 926.741 persons. max
ing nearly one pauper in every 80 per-
sons. This Is a much larger proper
ton than in either Scotland or Ireland.
lation of about 4.500,000. There are
111.4 paupers in Scotland and 104,3
in Ireland. This would make about
one pauper in every A in Scotland and
one in every As in Ireland.
The people in other densely settled
parts of Europe are more thrifty than
the English, Belgium is the most thick
iy settled country in Europe, and the
people are mostly engaged in manu-
factures. There are numerous public
and private charities. but only 4,S55
entries are made annually in the houses
established for the reception of beg
gars and tramps,,-
The thrifty Dutch in Holland have
astonishingF little pauperism, altho
their county is densely settled and
every resource Isl made the most of.
The Government itself does not recog-
nize poverty and Furnishes begging and
vagabondage as crimes. There are only
few poorhouses. in the country, and
nearly all the poor relief is given by
religious societies and organized pri-
vate charities. Only an average of
three and one-quarter persons per 100
receive aid from charity.
The French are not much behind the
Dutch in thrift, but are not SO siren
uous in repressing begging and vaga-
bondage. They have an extensive sys-
TEN of charity. but this does not extend
to those who are able to, work and will
not. They have fine hospital assistance
for aged and infirm, and are particular
1y careful in their attention to children.
A large portion of the charity is dis
bursed from bequests made by benevo-
lent people. with the State assisting
these by contributions where necessary
In a population of approximately 40.-
900, 900 there are something like only
10000 aged and infirm people in what
we would call poorhouses. At the same
time about 100000 receive gratuitous
medical assistance at cost of $4,000
900 year.