PROBLEM FOR THE BRITISH TAX-PAYER 155 



Reduced to its proper denomination, all this poor 

 relief, whether by State aid or from public or private 

 sources, is nothing but a stupendous charity, and 

 the moment we begin dispensing chanties we must 

 " go slow," or we shall do more harm than good; we 

 shall be " done in the eye," as the saying is. 



In private life the common experience is, the moment 

 you establish a reputation for philanthropy, you are 

 " got at "by men and women of all sorts and conditions, 

 and despite every possible precaution, you are deceived 

 in hundreds of cases. There is a veritable host of people, 

 of both sexes, always on the look-out for a " soft job," 

 and this is certain, that so long as widespread, misplaced 

 philanthrophy exists, so long will this array of loafers, 

 tramps and ne'er-do-weels; this human scum, that 

 battens on the poor-rates Hke leeches, and waxes fat on 

 the silly credulity of the charitably disposed, grow and 

 multiply. 



There is no getting away from this fact, and it applies 

 equally to all charities, whether private, public, or State. 



Before we finally decide what we, as tax-payers, are to 

 do in this matter, let us see if our millions have really 

 done any good to the cause to which we have so liberally 

 contributed for the last fifty years or more ; and as this 

 thing, like everything else in life, should be measured by 

 results, let us apply that infallible standard to it. 



The incidence per head of population of the pauper Enormous 

 tax was shown in a previous chapter to have risen from Taxation 

 from 5s. gd. in 1834 to i6s. 2d. in 1905. We append here 

 some figures showing the total sum expended on paupers 

 -n Great Britain and the cost per head for several periods 



