The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-03-20
LAND WHERE THERE ARE PRAc.
TlcAllV NO PAUPERs.
Row the Government Has Aided Pros
ner'ty-Always Little Something
Put Away for Days Of Old
AGE.

Across q narrow sea from England
10 little country which, though
oensely populated. has practically no
paupers. nor do the people emigrate
This Is thrifty Belgium. where there
10 thrift OF the individual, thrift of the
FAMILY. cooperative thrift, national
thrift. and prosperity In the face OF
the keenest competition of It's power
fui neishbors. England. France and
Germany.
The government. instead OF paying
old age pensions and dispensing: char
iv. has machinery for the encourage
ment OF thrift and thereby for the
prevention OF dependence. II pays
the Individual interest on his savings.
u insures his life and II will give him
On annuity II he saves to pay for II.
In the government savings bank de-
posits may be made In every post Of
nee Of the kingdom and In all the
branches Of the National bank. The
minimum deposit 10 one franc. There
10 no maximum The government
provides In a special way for those
who cannot put aside 90 large a sum
a q franc at q time. II authorizes
smaller deposits by postage stamps In
order to encourage school children,
farm laborers and the like: and rural
postmen carry with them the neces-
sary forms for this purpose. and urge
the public to make use of the savings
bank In this way.
Life annuities may be contracted
for at all branches of the savings
bank. af all branches OF the national
bank. a. all post Offices. and a. the
omces oi all tax receivers. The mini
mum payment that may be made Is
one franc. and the smallest annuity
paid by the fund is one franc. while
the largest is 100 francs. The an
nuities become payable at the enc of
each completed year from the age of
nifty TO sixty-nve.
In addition to the annuity fund
there is q government insurance
fund. tho management Of which Is un-
der government guarantee. Life or
endowment policies may be contract.
Cd for. the latter payable at the end
Of 10. Is. 20 or 2B years. or for a
period ending at the ages of fisty-flve,
sixty or sixty-flve.
This policy has instilled ideas of
thrift In the minds OF the school chill
dren. II has driven thrift into the
household where the income of the
husband. or OF wife and husband COM
bined. Is rarely spent. and In most
cases a liberal margin IA left for tho
future. The people live within their
incomes. Our income" they say. "is
90 much a year: we must live within
II and put away something for our old
days"
Among English speaking people.
this In the habit: I'VE must have this
and that and 60 here and there. and
90 we must bring our income ND TO
that mark at all hazards"
But the Belgian household enjoys
contentment and awaits with patience
q larger income before buying this
and that and before going here and
there; ard they do not try to keen
the pace set by those whose means
are greater. The observer sees on
every hand fnen and women. still with
the freshness OF youth. who have re.
tired from active. bread winning
work and are enjoying life on the
capital saved by reasonable economy.
They have lived wisely-neither
slaves nor prodigals--and their de.
elining years are provided for.