MR. JENKINS' OPINIONS ON SOCIAL QUESTIONS.
[TO TES EDITOR OF TILE "SPEOTATOR."]
San,—Referring to the Truro election, you state in the Spectator of last week that Mr. Jenkins is "a philanthropist of the Fawcatt
type." As Mr. Jenkins is widely known for his earnest advocacy of State emigration, and as I most strongly dissent from the views which he holds on many other social questions, I trust you will permit me to quote the following passage from a work I recently published on " Pauperism : its Causes and Remedies :"—
" Throughout these remarks, the main object I have had in view has been to prove that one chief cause of poverty is that too much is done for those who make no effort to help themselves, and thus improvidence in its various forms is encouraged. But in direct antagonism to these opinions, large sections of the public apparently think that a groat deal more ought to be done for those who seek relief. A demand, influ- entially supported, has been made for State emigration, and amongst some working-mon ominous sounds are beginning to be heard that it is the duty of the State to find work for the unemployed. Those who advocate these opinions must consequently desire that the responsibility, perilous though it be, which is assumed in our Poor Law, is to be greatly extended, for not only is maintenance to be guaranteed to all applicants ; but it is further desired that the State should wholly or partly pay the travelling expenses of all wbo may desire to emigrate ; it is also thought that the State should provide work at good wages whenever the labour market is redundant and employment is unduly scarce. Additions are constantly being made to the list of those things which people ought to do for themselves, but which they desire others to do for them."
It is probably because I have endeavoured consistently to advocate the views contained in the above passage, that I have been honoured with a position of undeserved prominence in Mr. Jenkins' most popular, widely-circulated book, where may opinions on social questions receive special coudemuittiou.—I am, Sir, &c., hENRY FAWCETT. [Our reference to the typo of Mr. Jenkins' radicalism, referred chiefly to the somewhat bitter tone which he, like Professor Faw- cett, assumes to the Liberal leader.—En. Spectator.]
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