In
our Library - where Books are free
|
Chapter 2 - Poverty
-
From Poverty by James Platt
Page 39 Poverty
of its members; and the classes arranged for the
evenings,
so as to give every facility for attendance on the part of these
for
whose benefit they are intended. By this means we may in time get
rid of that gaunt spectre, "poverty; " not by trusting
to the State for a loan, but by training our people to earn their
living, and to feel a pride in so doing - by making our people
truly independent, "self - helpful, thrifty, and self - reliant"
- men who would rather die than live by "charity," whether
it be from
|
|
|
|
|
the individual or the State. Self-help
is the key to progress. I am utterly opposed to those who argue
that little can be done by man to lighten the burden of man's
suffering. See what has been done in Whitechapel. Mr. Barnett
tells us, in the Nineteenth Century, April, 1888, that " ten years
ago we came to live in East London. The study of political economy,
and familiarity with the condition of the poor, had shown me the
harm of doles given in the shape either of tickets or of out -
relief. I found that relief, so given, did not make the poor any
richer, but only served to perpetuate poverty. We came to London
determined to war against a system of relief which, ignorantly
cherished by the poor, meant ruin to their possibilities. The
work of some devoted men on the Board of Guardians, helped by
the members of the Charity Organization Society, has enabled us
to see the victory won. In this Whitechapel parish there is no
out - relief, and the charity is given only to those who, by their
forethought or their self sacrifice, awaken feelings of gratitude
and respect which find an outlet in friendly gifts. The result
has not disappointed our hopes. The poor have learnt to help themselves
and have found self-help a stronger bond to keep the home together
than the dole of the relieving officer or the district visitor.
The rates have been saved £6,00O a year, and that sum remains
in the pockets of ratepayers to be spent as wages for work. I
say, advisedly. that, by the new system of relief, the poor are
not only more independent, but distinctly richer" Here we have
a " fact" to guide ns; what Mr. Barnett has done in Whitechapel
can be done in every parish in the
|
© Peter Smith 2008
|
