SELF-PROVIDED OLD-AGE PENSIONS, [To THE EDITOR Or THE "SPECTATOL”.1 Silt,...4t
has been a great pleasure to me to see the letters and leading articles on old-age pensions published in the Spectator. With your permission, I would like to be allowed a few words in your valuable paper. Being the widow of the late Canon Blackley, who is recognised as the pioneer of compulsory insurance, I may say that, though the Bishop of Lichfield's scheme may have advantages, Canon Blackley always upheld that every one should be compelled to insure for him or her- self, and would not have approved of burdening the parents with the payments of threepence a week per child when they might have five or six children attending school simultaneously and unable to earn anything ; whereas every young man or woman from the age of eighteen to twenty-one could easily during those years pay a weekly sum sufficient to cover his or her insurance, though in particular cases a year's exten- sion of payment might be allowed. In his lifetime Canon Blackley addressed large numbers of all classes at hundreds of meetings, and when the scheme had been explained he, with very few exceptions, got a unanimous vote in favour of compulsory insurance. This would surely prove that, now that the question is so much before the public, it might, if properly worked and explained, be asked for by the nation and ultimately become law. Nearly two years ago I published a little book, a short memoir of Canon Blackley, with a reprint of some of his essays, and called it "Thrift and National Insurance as a Security against Pauperism." The book was well received, and it may interest your readers to hear that last November I presented a copy of it to every Member of both Houses of Parliament, twelve hundred and sixty in number, and have received a vast number of sympathetic and appreciative letters in acknow- ledgment. The last article in the book, "Independence v. Pauperism," has been reprinted in pamphlet form, and though only issued three weeks ago, over three thousand copies have been asked for and distributed. This shows that those who have seen and understood the scheme are desirous of some such legislation, and would consider it a blessing to the nation. If you, Sir, would try to form such a Committee as you suggest in your editorial note re old-age pensions of January 18th, no doubt many Members of both Houses of Parliament would be willing to support you.--I am, Sir, &e., [We are asked bo state that a pamphlet describing Canon Blackley's scheme, and suitable for distribution, can be obtained from Mrs. Blackley at the above address, at the rate of 7s. 6d. per hundred.—En. Spectator.]
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