On this page
-
Text (5)
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
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.
-
-
Transcript
-
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.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
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 Coasting . Their utter uselessness and disadvantage to the assured we shall refer to in future articles .
The peculiar use of a proprietary m 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
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 Mutual
this is desired the " Mitre " has provided a " Branch . " In addition to lovvness 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 living 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 proteet .
Untitled Article
HOW TO DEAT , WITH MANCHESTER PAUPERISM . T iik Manchester CaptahiH 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 wdl perhaps come in another generation . Meantime it is undeniable that nowhere have capital and labour been so marvellously organized lor the production of all manner of wares , yielding a reasonable profit ; and
that in no Knglinh town or city has the ordinary local business been carried on with more strict regard to economy and the public good . Why , then , does it happen , at a period of unusual manufacturing prosperity , when the demand for labour in much brisker than it has been lor many years , that we hear complaints from the Manchester parochial authorities of an alarming increase of pauperism ? Comparing the September quarters of 1 B 46 and 1 H 51 , it appears that Manchester has now to maintain 121 ' 2 more families than it had five years a # o , at an increased weekly exjiense , notwithstandingthe cheapness of food , of nQ Joas than £ 139 . 10 h .,
The evil they have to , - bodied pauperism j 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
deal with is idleable 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 ?
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 oeconomists 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 Ihe improvements were going on , it appeared that the landlord had undertaken the reclaiming of
25 O acres of bog land , and that he expected to realize a nctt profit of no less than £ 10 , 000 upen the transaction . Now , we do not suppose that the Lancashire improvers would make any such profit as this . Hut , granting that they were merely enabled to convert the whole of the able-bi died paupers now receiving relief from the Manchester guardians into independent labourers , they might well he proud of their success . Such an experiment conducted to such an issue would soon he 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 . Jf 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 .
Untitled Article
OIIKAr 1 ILOA . TKHHI Tim other < lny a coinpnny of rmhmongerH from Billings-Kiito CHtabliuhod tlicniHclvcH in Uirmiiifj ; haiii , Hggravuting into a fever thereby the competition in the Halo of fish . Whereupon a ^ roteHque , but not unusuul development of the competitive principle ensued . One of the original tr ; ul ( 'Kinen of the town engaged u van , garniuhed itn interior with a Htertoroun Ihuhh band , Bet a man with a trcinondouu vocal development in the bow of the vehicle ,
and sent forth this curious agglomeration of noise and oddity to parade the streets—the fishy Stentor crvinw aloud , " Yarmouth bloaters thirty for a shilling" t ^ h is the development of native industry with a vengeance ' '
Untitled Article
SOCIAL REFORM . " NOTES OF A SOCIAL . ( ECO NOMIST . " 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 I'importance de leur oeuvre ; e ' est dans la negation du regime capitaliste , agioteur et pouvernemental , qu' a Iaiss 6 apres elle la premiere revolution . "—Pb . otjdhon . ' 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 be taken . " Fbancis . 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 lafce 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 , " Fays Mr . Owen , " were a compound 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 enors 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 accomp lish by their sincere endeavours to benefit mankind all they desired , yet they have mainly assisted to attack and diminish remained
old-established ei rors , which , while they 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 . Ihese 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 princip le and practice . They appioachcd some of the great truths of society ; but , for the reasons mentioned , they could not work them to their foundation , nor discover the cause ol all human error . They have , however , greatly asthe ol
sistcd to clear away many obstacles in patli progress , and to raise up many ardent disciples , tviio arc now very active in the cause of humanity . i * ut these men do not yet see the whole truth ; and being filled with modern h-aining , and not e xperienced practical men of the world , are divided among thern-Kerveb , and , therefore , less powerful in doing goou , than they would be were they agreed among tlicmhoIvcb , and could they teach their followers tJo e true principles and practices which alone can criaurational liberty , a just equality , and a beneficial n - ternity . The principles and practices which » m attain of the will secure j . l . so the other two , miaul unt in mraivim * -
one . se , , o » v . « . v . all the three are so closely linked they cannot uc separated . " . , Henri de St . Simon may be described as a Jjin < of Platonic . He d ^ erves to bo < liHtin uiB to , chiefly , as an advocate for the nodal und P' ) Ul " enfranchisement of women . Mature , nersei , i assigned to women a peculiar , yet an enlaiK < : rational , sphere of free activity , in the divw on «* human employment ; but under the preva . m « Human employment ; imu » h «»< . « i i , ;« ,,,, ] iy the
rational syHteins of education , y are """"'^ trained up in idleness and in hypocrwy as t natural and legitimate defence of weakness . gains force and injustice . Condemned , }^^\ }^ HclfislmeKH of mankind to a life either of vac nU activity or of abject dependence , they- lmvj * deprived of the meann of » Hel .. l f ^ Jj V pation ; and the incrciu . in K ainonn of fcmIc » tion , madncHH , suicide , and infanticidc cfc * proven how imposmbk it m to violate , with w » I lity , the law » of our moral and p hyHic ^ naturo ^ ¦
Untitled Article
1064 1 Kt ) e % t& 1 ltt * [ Saturday ,
Untitled Article
— * ' CoHt of K « . » or ,, l and local K overmneMt ,. j r m- « In KiiKlnnd 1 l' { 4 In Frunoe . , ' , 111 I 11 tho United tiutc-tf ° J ll *
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 8, 1851, page 1064, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1908/page/12/
-