in darkest england and the way out- 第48部分

Neither　can　I　regard　the　one；　or　at　most　two；　rooms　in　which　the　large　majority　of　the　inhabitants　of　our　great　cities　are　compelled　to　spend　their　days；　as　a　solution　of　the　question。　　The　overcrowding　which　fills　every　separate　room　of　a　tenement　with　a　human　litter；　and　compels　family　life　from　the　cradle　to　the　grave　to　be　lived　within　the　four　walls　of　a　single　apartment；　must　go　on　reproducing　in　endless　succession　all　the　terrible　evils　which　such　a　state　of　things　must　inevitably　create。

Neither　can　I　be　satisfied　with　the　vast；　unsightly　piles　of　barrack…like　buildings；　which　are　only　a　slight　advance　upon　the　Union　Bastilledubbed　Model　Industrial　Dwellingsso　much　in　fashion　at　present；　as　being　a　satisfactory　settlement　of　the　burning　question　of　the　housing　of　the　poor。　　As　a　contribution　to　this　question；　I　propose　the　establishment　of　a　series　of　Industrial　Settlements　or　Suburban　Villages；　lying　out　in　the　country；　within　a　reasonable　distance　of　all　our　great　cities；　composed　of　cottages　of　suitable　size　and　construction；　and　with　all　needful　comfort　and　accommodation　for　the　families　of　working…men；　the　rent　of　which；　together　with　the　railway　fare；　and　other　economic　conveniences；　should　be　within　the　reach　of　a　family　of　moderate　income。

This　proposal　lies　slightly　apart　from　the　scope　of　this　book；　otherwise　I　should　be　disposed　to　elaborate　the　project　at　greater　length。　　I　may　say；　however；　that　what　I　here　propose　has　been　carefully　thought　out；　and　is　of　a　perfectly　practical　character。　In　the　planning　of　it　I　have　received　some　valuable　assistance　from　a　friend　who　has　had　considerable　experience　in　the　building　trade；　and　he　stakes　his　professional　reputation　on　its　feasibility。　The　following；　however；　may　be　taken　as　a　rough　outline：　

The　Village　should　not　be　more　than　twelve　miles　from　town；　should　be　in　a　dry　and　healthy　situation；　and　on　a　line　of　railway。　　It　is　not　absolutely　necessary　that　it　should　be　near　a　station；　seeing　that　the　company　would；　for　their　own　interests；　immediately　erect　one。

The　Cottages　should　be　built　of　the　best　material　and　workmanship。　This　would　be　effected　most　satisfactorily　by　securing　a　contract　for　the　labour　only；　the　projectors　of　the　Scheme　purchasing　the　materials　and　supplying　them　direct　from　the　manufacturers　to　the　builders。　The　cottages　would　consist　of　three　or　four　rooms；　with　a　scullery；　and　out…building　in　the　garden。　　The　cottages　should　be　built　in　terraces；　each　having　a　good　garden　attached。　　Arrangements　should　be　made　for　the　erection　of　from　one　thousand　to　two　thousand　houses　at　the　onset。　　In　the　Village　a　Co…operative　Goods　Store　should　be　established；　supplying　everything　that　was　really　necessary　for　the　villagers　at　the　most　economic　prices。　　The　sale　of　intoxicating　drink　should　be　strictly　forbidden　on　the　Estate；　and；　if　possible；　the　landowner　from　whom　the　land　is　obtained　should　be　tied　off　from　allowing　any　licences　to　be　held　on　any　other　portion　of　the　adjoining　land。　　It　is　thought　that　the　Railway　Company；　in　consideration　of　the　inconvenience　and　suffering　they　have　inflicted　on　the　poor；　and　in　their　own　interests；　might　be　induced　to　make　the　following　advantageous　arrangements：　

（1）　The　conveyance　of　each　member　actually　living　in　the　village　to　and　　　　　from　London　at　the　rate　of　sixpence　per　week。　　Each　pass　should　　　　　have　on　it　the　portrait　of　the　owner；　and　be　fastened　to　some　　　　　article　of　the　dress；　and　be　available　only　by　Workmen's　Trains　　　　　running　early　and　late　and　during　certain　hours　of　the　day；　when　　　　　the　trains　are　almost　empty。

（2）　The　conveyance　of　goods　and　parcels　should　be　at　half　the　ordinary　　　　　rates。　　It　is　reasonable　to　suppose　that　large　landowners　would　　　　　gladly　give　one　hundred　acres　of　land　in　view　of　the　immensely　　　　　advanced　values　of　the　surrounding　property　which　would　immediately　　　　　follow；　seeing　that　the　erection　of　one　thousand　or　two　thousand　　　　　cottages　would　constitute　the　nucleus　of　a　much　larger　Settlement。

Lastly；　the　rent　of　a　four…roomed　cottage　must　not　exceed　3s。　per　week。　Add　to　this　the　sixpenny　ticket　to　and　from　London；　and　you　have　3s。　6d。　and　if　the　company　should　insist　on　1s。；　it　will　make　4s。；　for　which　there　would　be　all　the　advantages　of　a　comfortable　cottageof　which　it　would　be　possible　for　the　tenant　to　become　the　ownera　good　garden；　　pleasant　surroundings；　and　other　influences　promotive　of　the　health　and　happiness　of　the　family。　　It　is　hardly　necessary　to　remark　that　in　connection　with　this　Village　there　will　be　perfect　freedom　of　opinion　on　all　matters。　　A　glance　at　the　ordinary　homes　of　the　poor　people　of　this　great　City　will　at　once　assure　us　that　such　a　village　would　be　a　veritable　Paradise　to　them；　and　that　were　four；　five；　or　six　settlements　provided　at　once　they　would　not　contain　a　tithe　of　the　people　who　would　throng　to　occupy　them。


SECTION　3。THE　POOR　MAN'S　BANK。

If　the　love　of　money　is　the　root　of　all　evil；　the　want　of　money　is　the　cause　of　an　immensity　of　evil　and　trouble。　　The　moment　you　begin　practically　to　alleviate　the　miseries　of　the　people；　you　discover　that　the　eternal　want　of　pence　is　one　of　their　greatest　difficulties。　In　my　most　sanguine　moments　I　have　never　dreamed　of　smoothing　this　difficulty　out　of　the　lot　of　man；　but　it　is　surely　no　unattainable　ideal　to　establish　a　Poor　Man's　Bank；　which　will　extend　to　the　lower　middle　class　and　the　working　population　the　advantages　of　the　credit　system；　which　is　the　very　foundation　of　our　boasted　commerce。

It　might　be　better　that　there　should　be　no　such　thing　as　credit；　that　no　one　should　lend　money；　and　that　everyone　should　be　compelled　to　rely　solely　upon　whatever　ready　money　he　may　possess　from　day　to　day。　But　if　so；　let　us　apply　the　principle　all　round；　do　not　let　us　glory　in　our　world…wide　commerce　and　boast　ourselves　in　our　riches；　obtained；　in　so　many　cases；　by　the　ignoring　of　this　principle。　　If　it　is　right　for　a　great　merchant　to　have　dealings　with　his　banker；　if　it　is　indispensable　for　the　due　carrying　on　of　the　business　of　the　rich　men　that　they　should　have　at　their　elbow　a　credit　system　which　will　from　time　to　time　accommodate　them　with　needful　advances　and　enable　them　to　stand　up　against　the　pressure　of　sudden　demands；　which　otherwise　would　wreck　them；　then　surely　the　case　is　still　stronger　for　providing　a　similar　resource　for　the　smaller　men；　the　weaker　men。　　At　present　Society　is　organised　far　too　much　on　the　principle　of　giving　to　him　who　hath　so　that　he　shall　have　more　abundantly；　and　taking　away　from　him　who　hath　not　even　that　which　he　hath。

If　we　are　to　really　benefit　the　poor；　we　can　only　do　so　by　practical　measures。　　We　have　merely　to　look　round　and　see　the　kind　of　advantages　which　wealthy　men　find　indispensable　for　the　due　management　of　their　business；　and　ask　ourselves　whether　poor　men　cannot　be　supplied　with　the　same　opportunities。　　The　reason　why　they　are　not　is　obvious。　To　supply　the　needs　of　the　rich　is　a　means　of　making　yourself　rich；　to　supply　the　needs　of　the　poor　will　involve　you　in　trouble　so　out　of　proportion　to　the　profit　that　the　game　may　not　be　worth　the　candle。　Men　go　into　banking　and　other　businesses　for　the　sake　of　obtaining　what　the　American　humourist　said　was　the　chief　end　of　man　in　these　modern　times；　namely；　〃ten　per　cent。〃　　To　obtain　a　ten　per　cent。　what　will　not　men　do？　　They　will　penetrate　the　bowels　of　the　earth；　explore　the　depths　of　the　sea；　ascend　the　snow…capped　mountain's　highest　peak；　or　navigate　the　air；　if　they　can　be　guaranteed　a　ten　per　cent。　　I　do　not　venture　to　suggest　that　the　business　of　a　Poor　Man's　Bank　would　yield　ten　per　cent。；　or　even　five；　but　I　think　it　might　be　made　to　pay　its　expenses；　and　the　resulting　gain　to　the　community　would　be　enormous。

Ask　any　merchant　in　your　acquaintance　where　his　business　would　be　if

he　had　no　banker；　and　then；　when　you　have　his　answer；　ask　yourself　whether　it　would　not　be　an　object　worth　taking　some　trouble　to　secure；　to　furnish　the　great　mass　of　our　fellow　countrymen；　on　sound　business　principles　with　the　advantages　of　the　credit　system；　which　is　found　to　work　so　beneficially　for　the　〃well…to…do〃　few。

Some　day　I　hope　the　State　may　be　sufficiently　enlightened　to　take　up　this　business　itself；　at　present　it　is　left　in　the　hands　of　the　pawnbroker　and　the　loan　agency；　and　a　set　of　sharks；　who　cruelly　prey　upon　the　interests　of　the　poor。　　The　establishment　of　land　banks；　where　the　poor　man　is　almost　always　a　peasant；　has　been　one　of　the　features　of　modern　legislation　in　Russia；　Germany；　and　elsewhere。　The　institution　of　a　Poor　Man's　Bank　will　be；　I　hope；　before　long；　one　of　the　recognised　objects　of　our　own　government。

Pending　that　I　venture　to　throw　out　a　suggestion；　without　in　any　way　pledging　myself　to　add　this　branch　of　activity　to　the　already　gigantic　range　of　operations　foreshadowed　in　this　bookWould　it　not　be　possible　for　some　philanthropists　with　capital　to　establish　on　clearly　defined　principles　a　Poor　Man's　Bank　for　the　making　of　small　loans　on　good　security；　or　making　advances　to　those　who　are　in　danger　of　being　overwhelmed　by　sudden　financial　pressurein　fact；　for　doing　for　the　〃little　man〃　what　all　the　banks　do　for　the　〃big　man〃？　　Meanwhile；　should　it　enter　into　the　heart　of　some　benevolently　disposed　possessor　of　wealth　to　give　the　price　of　a　racehorse；　or　of　an　〃old　master；〃　to　form　the　nucleus　of　the　necessary　capital；　I　will　certainly　experiment　in　this　direction。

I　can　anticipate　the　sneer　of　the　cynic　who　scoffs　at　what　he　calls　my　glorified　pawnshop。　　I　am　indifferent　to　his　sneers。　　A　Mont　de　Piete　the　very　name　（Mount　of　Piety）　shows　that　the　Poor　Man's　Bank　is　regarded　as　anything　but　an　objectionable　institution　across　the　Channelmight　be　an　excellent　institution　in　England。　　Owing；　however；　to　the　vested　interests　of　the　existing　traders　it　might　be　impossible　for　the　State　to　establish　it；　excepting　at　a　ruinous　expense。　　There　would　be　no　difficulty；　however；　of　instituting　a　private　Mont　de　Piete；　which　would　confer　an　incalculable　boon　upon　the　struggling　poor。

Further；　I　am　by　no　means　indisposed　to　recognise　the　necessity　of　dealing　with　this　subject　in　connection　with　the　Labour　Bureau；　provided　that　one　clearly　recognised　principle　c