Miscellany: Notes On Political Economy: Poor Laws

AH tliat mon linve lliat is v.iinnblc, is thf rcKiil' of labor. Tlie inducorricnt.s to Inbor au (wo; tiie oxprclation ofenjnvinT ihe pleasurenfforderl by iveai'.li; ond tlie fear of the ditresses o!" povnrty. Bnt n man may pnssrcs liimself of the propcrtv for wlrcli othrrs havo la'jorod, liy fraud. Fmnd nnd rii-honesty rmisl bo prt'vontPrt by Jnw. Tiie rijfhl princiiilf? iipon which Ièg4slulion slionlii In; biscif, is, tliat he wlio can w ork, shnll woi'k of stmcc. Therc is no íi:irc!sup in ïliia. Kvcy tliinff we soo iá tie roíiilt of Inbor. Now the q;ieáion is, who thal! onjoy tiiebneiiJsdf Ilns l.ibor, lic wh has uorkeri l'or ir, r he wlio Jn-i not. It' it be o liardship lor in.u not to enjoy tlmt for wli:e] ,le Jqs mi Uil red; it nol u nu'ih fIÉñtit l.grdhip !r a mnn not to mjoy tlmt fot which br Uts liiloied? So tliat if all the iiiffoitut ere (tiJtoiiied ut the expO6e of tire mdustriutisj, ,'ie hardship wou ld bc murh L:eattT Uitm it is Dow. Ií. A man m v be rejieyoij fiomthe necessity ofjaborby darly. The sick, the infirm, tlte hf-]p!fst=, Uie wn'.ow, llie on;hMj, anJ w futhcrless, wheu not itlieveil by p ivjito bouniv, hotild have thcr neceasilk-s prrvided for -il ithe public expenso. Wli-re (d ijas takeu ■awny tlie power to labor. Jfoise ho cun labor eliould coiiíribiiie lor the relief ol' tltosc whf onnnot ttipplr tli tuse!ve. üul thp mre facl tlmt a man isjiwr {.ivcs Mm no jnst claim on im fT clinrity. Nor do s it nilc hiiu to beneibCtiooèfroni the public punse.Ui-nee those poor Iftvvs of Engl.incl, and ol tturown cotmiry, whieh support the pmr infuse ri mi nu te i}t, bfcu-se they are jjoor, ure jnjuiion- for thee renson?: J. TJiey nrc oppo.-ed fo tliat lundnmontal 3iwol giHrnui(nt Ity yvJiích lie wfio s able to liibor.shiiU eigoy tlmt oniy Tor wliicij lie liua laborcd. 2. They rennne 'fmm men the fenrofH'iijit, oiic (iffhe most pöwerful injühinrs ;o hibor. ÏIcncp, ns rlie sliimilus is removed, loss woik will bo dono iti tlip 'cummnniiy. 3. By tenchinjr n '(nnn'lo dcj'ond'ono'Iie'-.e, tha'fpttihgk of iixIrptMidf-iice'htid .-eíl-reliunce ore iliniïhiifted. Tliis producos n tendoney hj nntinued pnnorism. In Eni;l.-nd, it m i'tmnff tliitt -wiien a famüy has onco npplt'il 10 the ' jsl,itTHK'!jw:pi.esto np)fyTPiilarly,& iisuülly for a largpr nid l.i rger ■taoicsiif-o uf nssjsttuict'. 4. Sucha sysi-ein tends trreaüy 1:0 increa.e the nvmbrr tf paupers. ïi u a%ouniy upo.i indolence, nd n drawback ion iiid.istry. Vith what spirit will a ponr man iubor and retrencli hjs rxenseF, wlien lieknou-s thnt ho hall bc taxed io support his next doorbor, who iK as uble to uork as h.aueli; bui wliore wants are supplied mercjy by aP1,lyig to the oversf er of ihe poor for aiJ. 5. Thet-e lawa are. n princip.e, destructiva of the rihjt of pmperty. because ihey procedí on thcasfumptitiii thnt tho fich are nnder r. lipatiou to support the poor. ís ihis 8n? 1 lie wim .abora tinder o!i.gí,t.)r, to Bl,pport ,im who Wwn not? Ifthis be po, wlie.c ae tho Ümits of the oblíganos Why not support the po-r better? Why not support thom n8 fll n.s llirm.-elves? There shoiild. tl en, be no funds provided in rommon for the supp-rt of those who are unwilfmg to labor. But if a in-m he reduced to txtrrme j.erury, he should be furiiishpd with work.nnd remunerated with the procce.Is. And those wh) are nble to earn thoir subsistcnce only in yert, sfiould be provided fir only to thp WWHim of thal doficiency. Jt has bem found ihatalm liotisps, conducted on this plan, pay tiieir expen.-es, nnd someMmca m .re.'- . The principie should be i.-iirodticed into all ppiiiteiitiorifs nnd aiitsuiw. There is iïó rea.-on why a hundre.1 8 bic bo-lied men sl.ould not support themselves, r.nJ pay f,.r tlie superitjtendence ntcestary to their labor.