On other questions, Mr. Chamberlain pressed the complete impossibility of
the Gladstonians' carrying Land reforms or Local Government reforms with Ireland stopping the way, and returned once more to his favourite scheme for providing pensions for old age, which he pressed on Scotland, declaring that their existing insurances hardly ever provide for old age, but are securities against the special expenses involved in illness, death, and loss of work. He got the large assembly to indicate by a show of hands how many of them had any pro- vision against old age, and it was found that the number was extremely few. Yet of those who have reached the age of twenty-five, at least half will live to attain the age of sixty- five, and at sixty-five they ought to have at least a secure 5s. a week to rely upon, without any aid from wages. These plans of Mr. Chamberlain's for State aid to the thrifty have only one drawback. Are they not teaching the poorer classes to rely on their own thrift and industry less and less, and to lean upon the charity of the State more and more ?
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