“¥8 
that rent now may be in the ratio of five to two to what it was fifty 
years ago; but the houses are, as a rule, far better, and the 
higher house rent represents generally a very different and much 
better return for that item of expenditure. During the last forty 
years the share of the cost of government which falls upon the 
working man has been lightened. Yet for that lighter cost, for 
those lessened taxes, he obtains much more benefit. Much 
more of the Government is beneficial to him ; for instance, the 
Post Office vote, and sanitary, educational, and other local 
expenditure, both from taxes and rates. The question remains: 
Have these changes been followed by an actual improvement in 
the condition and wealth of the masses of the people? What 
about the birth and death rates? Myr. Humphreys has com- 
pared the death-rate from 1876 to 1880 with rates from 1838 to 
1854, and the result is that the death-rate is so much reduced that 
the mean duration of life is longer by two years in the case of 
males, and by three and a half years in the case of women. Mr. 
Giffen’s next evidence of the actual improvement in the condition 
of the people consists of statistics, showing the enormous increase 
per head of the population of the imported articles which the 
masses consume. Another convincing evidence of progress is 
afforded by the increase of number of depositors in Savings 
Banks, from 420,000 in 1831 to 4,140,000 in 1881; the amount 
of deposits has increased from £13,719,000 to £80,334,000. The 
Industrial ‘and Provident Co-operative Societies give evidence to 
the same effect. The decline of pauperism is another link in 
the chain of evidence. MHalf-a-century ago, with half the 
population, the poor-relief burden was the same. The number 
of paupers in receipt of relief in 1849 in the United Kingdom 
was 1,676,000 ; in 1881 it was 1,015,000; England showmg a 
decrease of 181,000, Scotland 20,000, and Ireland 520,000. The 
average attendance at aided schools in 1851 was 271,000, in 
1881 it was 8,273,000. Diminution in serious crime has 
accompanied the improved condition of education of the people. 
Respecting the temperance of the people, much less that is 
satisfactory can be reported. In certain classes fifty years have 
witnessed a complete and hopeful revolution in social opinion 
and habits as regards intemperance. But in the working classes 
there has been a close connection between high wages and 
excess in liquor. The tide seems at length, however, to be 
turning. The decreased consumption of spirits, wine, and beer 
since 1875-6 may be measured by the loss of more than five 
millions sterling to the revenue, a loss almost equal to 3d. in the 
pound of income tax (see Budget of Mr. Childers, 5th April, 
1883.) We have thus established the following points :—1. The 
great gain in the last half-century in the earnings of the masses. 
2. The favourable change, on the whole, in the prices of their 
