THE COMING SLAVERY. 737 



the plow had been. " * In like manner, when the French Revolution 

 was approaching, the public burdens had become such that many- 

 farms remained uncultivated, and many were deserted : one quarter of 

 the soil was absolutely lying waste ; and in some provinces one half 

 was in heath. f Nor have we been without incidents of a kindred 

 nature at home. Besides the facts that under the old poor-law the 

 rates had in some parishes risen to half the rental, and that in various 

 places farms were lying uncultivated, there is the fact that in one case 

 the rates had absorbed the whole proceeds of the soil. 



At Cholesbury, in Buckinghamshire, in 1832, the poor-rate "suddenly 

 ceased in consequence of the impossibility to continue its collection, the land- 

 lords having given up their rent?, the farmers their tenancies, and the clergy- 

 man his glebe and his tithes. The clergyman, Mr. Jeston, states that in Octo- 

 ber, 1882, the parish officers threw up their books, and the poor assembled in a 

 body before his door while he was in bed, asking for advice and food. Partly 

 from his own small means, partly from the charity of neighbors, and partly by 

 rates in aid, imposed on the neighboring parishes, they were for some time sup- 

 ported." J 



The commissioners add that " the benevolent rector recommends 

 that the whole of the land should be divided among the able-bodied 

 paupers " : hoping that, after help afforded for two years, they might 

 be able to maintain themselves. These facts, giving color to the 

 prophecy made in Parliament that continuance of the old poor-law 

 for another thirty years would throw the land out of cultivation, clearly 

 prove that increase of public burdens may end in forced cultivation 

 under public control. 



Then, again, comes state-ownership of railways. Already this 

 exists to a large extent on the Continent. Already we have had here 

 a few years ago loud advocacy of it. And now the cry which was 

 raised by sundry politicians and publicists is taken up afresh by the 

 Democratic Federation, which proposes "state-appropriation of rail- 

 ways, with or without compensation." Evidently, pressure from above 

 joined by pressure from below is likely to effect this change, dictated 

 by the policy everywhere spreading ; and with it must come many 

 attendant changes. For railway -proprietors, at first owners and 

 workers of railways only, have been allowed to become masters of 

 numerous businesses directly or indirectly connected with railways ; 

 and these will have to be purchased by Government when the railways 

 are purchased. Already exclusive carrier of letters, exclusive trans- 

 mitter of telegrams, and on the way to become exclusive carrier of 

 parcels, the state will not only be exclusive carrier of passengers, 

 goods, and minerals, but will add to its present various trades many 



* Lactant., " De M. Persecut.," cc. 7, 23. 

 f Taine, " La Revolution," pp. 337, 338. 



\ " Report of Commissioners for Inquiry into the Administration and Practical Oper- 

 ation of the Poor-Laws," p. 37, February 20, 1834. 

 vol. xxiv. 17 



