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1064 fflje Hea5^^ [Saturday,
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HOW TO DEAL WITH MANCHESTER PAUPERISM. T...
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CHKAl* JU.OATUKK ! Thk other day a compa...
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SOCIAL REFORM. " NOTES OF A SOCIAL. CECO...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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L»Ro(Irmci» Ol«' Assurance T1ik L'Ltoriu...
the rates are higher , but they also have tables for assurers who are specially guaranteed by the Mutual fund , which thus becomes equivalent to an assurance in a Proprietary Company . The disadvantages of a large capital , and the absurdity of offices endeavouring to throw discredit upon the younger associations by pointing to their immense funds , we have already shown . The time will come when these large accumulations will be rather matter of reproach than of boasting . Their utter uselessness and disadvantage to the assured we shall refer to in future articles .
The peculiar use of a proprietary in the opening of an assurance office we regard to be simply this . The issue of a number of shares , on which a small sum only is paid up , is the means of forming a number of agents interested in the success of the undertaking-, and whose various spheres of influence are enlisted in the service of the young office . But when years have passed , and the association is in full and successful operation , the tendency will be sooner or later to the Mutual System .
The " Mitre Life Assurance Association " was established as a proprietary office , on the principle of offering to assure at the lowest possible premium consistent with the security of the assured . Whenever the assurance is for a short period it is unquestionably to the advantage of the assured to choose that office which offers the lowest tables ; there being in such a case no bonus , whether the tables are high or low . But when the assurance is
for life , the use of a participatory system will depend upon individual views and intentions , and when this is desired the " Mitre " has provided a " Mutual Branch . " In addition to lowness of premium it offers several schemes of a peculiar character . Short term policies may be renewed for the whole of life on equitable terms , a privilege offering essential advantages to assurances effected by borrowing on mortgage or other security for a term of years . The attention of this association has been much devoted
to education and endowments by which sums may be secured to children at given ages by a small annual payment , two-thirds of which are returned in the event of the child dying in the interval . With all the advantages , however , held out by this and similar institutions , not one-twelfth of the insurable families have yet availed themselves of the system . Yet we are Jiving in a country where poverty , if not a crime , is a leprosy from which men flee . With money a man may do many a dirty and dishonourable , if not dishonest , action , and still look the world in the face . But virtue in
rags staggers to and fro , finding no countenance amongst us . What man can tell to what depths of ignominy and disgrace his family may be reduced when he bequeaths to them his empty purse ? There is no more fruitful cause of misery and crime than the sudden downfal of those born to position , and nursed in wealth and luxury . Yet , such is the continual picture presented to the eyes of those who look beneath the surface of society . The beggarly money-box makes its daily round among relatives , who , as they drop in the coin , obliterate their acquaintance with the unfortunate recipient ; and the muttered imprecation too often hovers over the new-made grave of him , who passed away bequeathing contumely and scorn to those it was his duty to protect .
1064 Fflje Hea5^^ [Saturday,
1064 fflje Hea 5 ^^ [ Saturday ,
How To Deal With Manchester Pauperism. T...
HOW TO DEAL WITH MANCHESTER PAUPERISM . Tiik Manchester Captains of Industry have gained a high character throughout the world for the admirable manner in which they manage the great business of life under our present system—the acquirement of money . It would be pleasant to add ¦—did truth permit—that they also excel in their knowledge of how to spend it ; but that will perhaps come in another generation . Meantime it in undeniable that nowhere have capital and labour been so marvellously organized for the production of all manner of wares , yielding a reasonable profit ; and
that in no English town or city has the ordinary local business been carried on with more Htrict regard to economy and the public good . Why , then , does it happen , at a period of unusual manufacturing prosperity , wlien the demand for labour is much brisker than it has been for many years , that we hear complaints from the Manchester parochial authorities of an alarming increase of pauperism ? Comparing the September quarters of 1 H 46 " and 1 H 5 J , it appears that ManchenU ; r has now to maintain 1212 more families than it bad five years ago , at an increased weekly expense , notwithstanding the cheapness of food , of no leas than £ 13 ° . 10 » .,
equal to £ 7254 per annum . Of this increase the greater portion has come from Ireland , the Irish poor having increased from 427 to 1478 families ; while the cost of supporting them has advanced from £ 48 . Os . lid . to £ 179 . 18 s . 3 d . per week . Here is a gigantic grievance , which will rapidly increase under the joint operation of the " Irremovable Act " and the clearance system , and yet no one * proposes any practical remedy . Will the Manchester Captains of Industry attend for a few seconds while we venture to propound a scheme by which the plague may be arrested , if not cured altogether ?
The evil they have te deal with is idle , ablebodied pauperism ; for we must conclude that a large portion of these 1478 Irish families consists of able-bodied men and youths , who would willingly work if they could find employment . No one can believe that any considerable number of these poor people would prefer pauperism to honest industry . The wretched pittance they receive—averaging little more than a penny a day per head—would never tempt any one who can work , to live in idleness . The question then is , how to provide profitable employment for all who can handle a spade , The work we should propose would be the reclaiming
of some of the waste lands in the neighbourhood of Manchester . But then it must not be done in the slovenly manner in which most schemes of that kind have hitherto been carried out . Agricultural operations by means of pauper labour can only be successful under the management of an intelligent , energetic taskmaster ; one who knows what each labourer ought to perform , and who will rigidly enforce due discipline among the motley regiment under his charge . Such a man will require a liberal salary ; nor ought there to be any hesitation on that score , seeing that it is mainly upon him that the success of the experiment must depend .
Having secured a thoroughly efficient overseer , the next step will be to obtain a lease of waste land within as short a distance from Manchester as possible . Of course , thorough-going , political ceconomists of the old school , will laugh at the idea of making pauper labour profitable , or even of making it anything else than loss . For our part , we cannot see why it should not be as profitable in Lancashire , if properly organized , as it has been in various parts of Ireland , and as it might be in every part of it , but for indolence , ignorance , and absurd official fallacies regarding the evils of employing
the able-bodied poor in reproductive labour . We lately saw an interesting account of certain improvements which have been carried out in the county of Cork , by an enterprising landlord , who had thus converted the barren industry of the paupers of one poor law union into a comfortable living for them and a handsome profit for himself . From the statement of a gentlemen who had visited the spot while the improvements were going on , it appeared that the landlord had undertaken the reclaiming of
250 acres of bog land ,, and that he expected to realize a nett profit of no less than £ 10 , 000 upon the transaction . Now , we do not suppose that the Lancashire improvers would make any such profit as this . But , granting that they were merely enabled to convert the whole of the able-bodied paupers now receiving relief from the Manchester guardians into independent labourers , they might well be proud of their success . Such an experiment eonducted to sueli an issue would soon be followed
by other and more extensive plans for the organization of agricultural industry , with a view to the permanent benefit of those engaged in it . We do not expect that the Manchester Board of Guardians will pay a willing attention to our proposal . They are official gentlemen , and consequently more in the habit of starting every possible difficulty when any new scheme is proposed , than of assisting' to carry it out . Some
time ago , however , a society was formed in that town for the purpose of promoting such a reform of the poor law as would provide employment for all able-bodied paupers in reproductive labour . If that society is still in existence , the members of it have now an excellent opportunity of reducing their theory to practice , and of showing what can be done by a body of benevolent , practical men , towards removing the foulest blot in our social system .
Chkal* Ju.Oatukk ! Thk Other Day A Compa...
CHKAl * JU . OATUKK ! Thk other day a company of iishmongern from BillingHKiite OHtubliHlied themnelvcH iit Birmingham , ng ^ ravuting into a fever thereby the competition iit the mile of HhIi . Whereupon a tfroteHque , but not uinitmul development of the competitive principle cnuued . One of the original tradesmen of the town en ^ a ^ ed a van , garninhed itH interior with a stertoroun uthhh hand , net a man with a trcmendouu vocal development in the bow of the vehicle
and sent forth this curious agglomeration of ^ 71 ^ oddity to parade the streets—the fishy Stentor rr aloud , "Yarmouth bloaters thirty for a shilling" i © is the development of native industry with a venge ance *
Social Reform. " Notes Of A Social. Ceco...
SOCIAL REFORM . " NOTES OF A SOCIAL . CECONOMIST . " THE COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATIONS OF ENGLAND VIII . " Que les ouvriers le sachent ou l'ignorent , ce n' est point dans leurs petits interets de societe que git 1 'itnportance de leur oeuvre ; e ' est dans la negation du regime capitaliste , agioteur et gouvernemental , qu' a laisse apres elle la premiere revolution . "—Proudhon . " There was literally ( in 1825 ) a whole population with food in abundance staring them in the face , unable to procure it , as nothing but gold would betaken" . Francis . History of the Bank of England .
In his Letters to the Human Race Robert Owen has said that the United States of America * are woefully deficient in their social arrangements and political institutions ; and these quite unequal to the well-forming and good governing of mankind : and that the promoters of the late French revolution , seeing that a republic based on politics was a failure , superadded the term " social , " taking that term from some confused notions of St . Simon and Fourier , who had promulgated in France what they believed to be advanced systems of society .
•' These systems , ' says Mr . Owen , " were a co mpound of some new true ideas , based on the fundamental errors of old society , thus making a heterogeneous mass of true and false opposing principles , forming systems so inconsistent as to be impracticable . Both these founders of advanced systemsinasmuch as they abandoned extreme competitionwere men desirous of improving society . They were alive to the innumerable errors and evils of all past systems , and their faculties were stretched to the
utmost to devise and introduce effective remedies ; but they had not the knowledge and experience requisite to enable them to proceed far enough in tracing backward cause and effect , or to dive deep enough to ascertain whence the source of the errors and the evils which they wished to overcome ; and , failing , they sacrificed themselves , as many other prime minds of past times had previously done . Nevertheless these sacrifices have not been in vain .
In all these cases more or less permanent good has been attained , and although in the case of St . Simon and Fourier they could not accomplish by their sincere endeavours to benefit mankind all they desired , yet they have mainly assisted to attack and diminish old-established errors , which , while they remained unassailed and in full vigour , closed the mind against the introduction of the first elements of knowledge , of consistency , or of any approach to rationality . These men were profound thinkers upon a wrong principle ; and not being practical men , nor possessing power to unravel human nature , were unable to discover the cause of the world ' s errors in principle and practice . They appioachcd some of the great truths of society ; hut , for the reasons mentioned , they could not work of
them to their foundation , nor discover the cause all human error . They have , however , greutly assisted to clear away many obstacles in the path of progress , and to raise up many ardent disciples , avIio arc now very active in the cause of humanity . But these men do not yet see the whole truth ; and being filled with modern learning , and not experienced practical nun of the world , are divided among themselves , and , therefore , less powerful in doing good , than they would be were they agreed among themselves , and could they teach their followers those true principles and practices which alone can create rational liberty , ajuht equality , and a beneficial iraternity . The principles and practices which will attain one of these , will secure also the other two ; all the three are so closely linked they cannot bo
separated . " Henri de St . Simon may be described as a kind of Platonist . He deserves to be distinguished , chiefly , tin an advocate for the social and political enfranchisement of women . Nature , herself , lias assigned to women a peculiar , yet an enlarged ana rational , npliere of free activity , in the division oi human employments ; but under tho prevailing irrational HVHtcmH of education , they are habitually tno
trained up in idleness and in hypocrisy as natural and legitimate defence of weakness against force ami injustice . Condemned , hitherto , by tno HclfiahncHB of mankind to a life either oi vacant inactivity or of abject dependence , they have In : <" deprived of the incans of useful and rational occupation ; and the increasing amount of feinalc proswtion , madness , suicide , and infanticide clcany proves how impossible it i » to violate , with impu nity , the laws of our moral and |) liyHical _ nat » r « - "T ' Co ^ ToTK TnerarTnTrhK-al government per head : — luKiiKlnnd L \\ a In Franco 1 »•» \ In the United Htuteu 0 ' n *
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 8, 1851, page 12, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_08111851/page/12/
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