The Ideal State 213 



every responsible head of a household shall have 

 secured to him, as long as he is willing to work, suffi- 

 cient to meet all necessities and comforts, and in ill- 

 health this must not be allowed to lapse. The much- 

 abused Insurance Bill will help towards this ideal, but 

 without doubt it requires amendment in the interests 

 of the workman ; no head of a household, rejoicing in 

 the lordly sum of one pound per week, ought to be asked 

 to pay the weekly tax ; it is absurd to expect it. 

 Shorter hours must be conceded in many trades ; work 

 without the possibility of leisure is a potent cause of 

 discontent, and this, with the possibility of, and induce- 

 ment to acquire, a higher culture, must be granted. 

 It is evident that higher wages, improved conditions, 

 and shorter hours must involve a higher price for all 

 commodities ; in this way the people of " great pos- 

 sessions " are taxed for the benefit of those who " have 

 not." This many object to, but find themselves com- 

 pelled to it by means of law and Government ; and 

 fortunately there are not a few who rejoice and are 

 willing it should be so under the influence of Christian 

 altruism. The former would like to oppose this 

 tendency absolutely, and use specious and varied argu- 

 ments to uphold the policy of stagnation. The most 

 oft-repeated has acquired almost the authority of an 

 axiom, and it is that a nation must never break with 

 the tradition of the past. If the Government were to 

 act consistently on this principle it could only result in 

 absolute stagnation. The crux of the position now is, 

 that if we do not break with the tradition of the past, 

 in granting a minimum wage to the heads of all house- 

 holds who are willing to work, so as to secure all 

 necessary comforts for every member of the family, the 

 masses, who are in poverty and la misere, and their 

 comrades, living under better conditions, but yet in 

 sympathy with their poorer brethren, will break with 



