Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-30

/ inCapacitated by Illness or disease to
face the fate of a pauper.
Considered from a purely economic
standpoint legislation of this charac-
ter is to be advocated because of the
enormous savings which through II
will come to every municipality and
state by the Iessened cost in the main
tenance of almshouses and poor
houses. What the business man calls
his overhead charges would be in this
instance reduced to a minimum.
There is probably no one cause
more strongly accentuating the fire.
Quent antagonisms between capital
and labor than the constantly recur-
ring want Of the wage earners in their
old age. Under the most favorable
conditions the average wage Garner is
unable to lay aside any considerable
amount against the day when his
strength to labor leaves him and his
earnings cease. 1t is my opinion that
the disturbing elements between en-
pIoyer and employee may largely be
traced to this one fact. Happy, there
fore, will be the day when that fear
mead no longer be constantly in the
mind of the wage earners of our coun-
try; when they can look forward with
assurance to the time in their lives
when, even though their strength fail
them or illness disable them, they
will be given the means with which to
make their declining days measurably
comfortable. Moreover, such action on
the part OF the government would I'M
questiOnably arouse in the mind of
every worker a sentiment of gratitude
which would find expression ina deep
er patriotism. No tenabie objection
can be urged against policy which in
every way makes for betterment, but
everything speaks in its favor.
1t is a singular fact that the first
practical application OF a straight-Out
old-age pension system should have
been made in the newest governments
among the enlightened nations-New
Zealand and Australia. New Zealand
takes the palm for being the first
among civilized nations to establish a
perfectly plain, unqualified old-age
pension system. New Zealand was the
first, and Victoria the next, TO enact
legislation of this character. Their
methods are as simple as they are eff
fective. No condition is attached to
the granting of an old-age pension in
those states, except that the applicant
shall not be possessed OF an income
beyond a stated amount. The pen
sions are not saddled upon the COM
in which the applicant may re
side, but are granted by the central
government. y hich also bears the cost
Of administration There is only one
class of pensioners the old and hon
est poor. men and women. They must
be s. years of age residents Of the
country for not less than p years. The
applicant must be person OF good
moral character, and must bring evil
dence that he has not been an inmate
of a prison for more than a stated
brief period during u years preceding
this application and that he must
have led respectable life for al least
five years before making application
for pension. AS already stated, his
income must not exceed a certain
amount. and if at any time subsequent
to the granting Of the pension that in !
come is increased his pension is pro
lessened. If his income. !
after the pension has been granted, |
reaches a stated amount, the pension |
ceases altogether.
(Read the conclusion of this inter |!
esting and instructive speech in to- |
Editor.)