168 Friendly Societies, State Action, and the Poor-law. 
institutions. They are not to be driven off the ground either by 
the affiliated orders or the County Societies. They give partial 
help at a cost which, properly applied, secured, and duly 
administered, would raise the condition of the labourer to 
independence. The imperfect help afforded by them is dearly 
purchased, even if the price was limited to the cash payments 
which the poor contrive to provide for them. 
The question has again risen. What can be done to arrest the 
evils, and, if possible, to remove them ? Nothing that is sound 
and solvent, or that with reasonable care can be so made, ought 
to be touched. Nor have societies which fulfil such conditions 
any reason to fear that the introduction of the Method, the main 
provisions of which I will subjoin, would be likely to affect 
them injuriously. The probability is that a national system 
of insurance would, by the increased attention thereby drawn 
to thrift, and the good model of a poor man's friendly society 
which it would supply, promote the usefulness of all well- 
managed institutions in existence. That it would tend to 
destroy, and succeed to some extent in breaking up, pauperising 
clubs, is a reasonable anticipation. If the suggestions which 
will be offered when I deal with the Poor-law should be 
adopted, we should have the indirect power of the guardians 
to discourage persons from forming societies which injure 
rather than benefit those who belong to them. 
My plan is that a safe and easily understood system of in- 
surance should be offered them at a cost not greater than they are 
already in the habit of paying for " benefits " in their own 
clubs, while their grip on the poor-rate shall be resolutely 
shaken off. That the system shall, for the present at all events, 
be managed by the Post-Office, inasmuch as the Act 27 & 28 Vict, 
c. 43, enables that department to undertake the management of 
insurances, for which it also possesses special facilities. An 
Amendment of the Act should be made to enable the Office to 
grant, in addition to the benefits at present obtainable : 
1. An insurance for sickness pay to the age of 70 years, and 
burial-money. 
2. Old-age pay commencing (a) at 65, and (6) at 70 years 
of age. 
3. Endowments, or prospective provision. 
4. Burial-money from 5/. 
" The stock or fund of Insurances shall alone be liable to make 
good the insurances made in it." 
The endowments which the country was led to expect many 
years ago through the Post-Offico, are a provision by which a 
member may secure for himself or nominee, by contributions paid 
monthly, a sum not less than 5/., nor more than 200/., at the end 
