We congratulate the Municipal Reform Party in the London County
Council upon their courage and good sense in refusing, by 64 votes to 40, to apply the Act allowing the feeding of sehool-children to be placed on the rates. The temptation to give way to the sentimental appeal must have been very hard to resist, for no doubt there are in London's vast population of school-children many thousands who are underfed, and a proposal to be lavish with the ratepayers' money is always at first sight a taking one. Yet in it lurks the seed from which may spring untold injuries to the working class. Voluntary and charitable effort is the proper instrument to employ in the cases that really need help, and we are glad to bear that an appeal is to be made to the wealthy classes in London. Though the new Act makes it difficult to get people to subscribe, we do not doubt that the money will be found.
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