NATIONAL PAUrERISM AND TAXATION 91 



What the Donors do 



We have now to deal with about 24 millions who are 

 always ready to do something for charity's sake. But it is just 

 here that we must resort to some process of deduction, because 

 this good work remains unrecorded and untabulated. 



Divide the 24,000,000, say, into four groups of 6,000,000 

 each, i.e. those who give £7 10s., £5, £2, and 10s. each, and 

 the result is — 



Total 



It may be contended by some that the estimate of £7 10s., £5, 

 £2, and 10s. for the four groups respectively has been put at 

 too high a figure, but careful inquiries will prove that the 

 estimate is, if anything, too low. 



One Hundred Millions in Private Charities 



We will now weld all these figures into an intelligible whole. 

 Here is the statement : — 



1. Income of Hospitals £2,500,000 



2. Income of Charitable Institutions 1,533,821 



3. Income from Bazaars, Concerts, and other enter- 



tainments (estimated) 200,000 



4. Amount contributed by private persons and firms 



assessed by Government 6,377,730 



5. Private charities (unrecorded) 90,000,000 



Total £100,611,551 



Contributions in kind, such as food, clothing, coal, etc., 

 have been purposely left out of consideration, because of the 

 difficulty of arriving at a fairly approximate amount, but the 

 total annual value would be enormous. 



Now in regard to these stupendous figures, it will surely be 

 said by most people that it is impossible our private charities 

 can amount to such an appalling sum ; but when one begins to 

 ponder over this matter it will be seen that althougli it conies 

 as a startling revelation, it is not only possible but a simple 

 fact, which can easily be verified by any one who cares to take 

 a little trouble. 



We all know that charity has many claims upon our time 

 and purses, and that each one of us gives according to his 



