第104章 CAN IT BE DONE,AND HOW?(3)

Seeing that the country pays out something like Ten Millions per annum in Poor Law and Charitable Relief without securing any real abatement of the evil,I cannot doubt that the public will hasten to supply one-tenth of that sum.If you reckon that of the submerged tenth we have one million to deal with,this will only be one pound per head for each of those whom it is sought to benefit,or say ONE MILLION STERLINGto give the present Scheme a fair chance of getting into practical operation.

According to the amount furnished,must necessarily be the extent of our operations.We have carefully calculated that with one hundred thousand pounds the scheme can be successfully set in motion,and that it can be kept going on an annual income of #30,000which is about three and a-quarter per cent.on the balance of the million sterling,for which I ask as an earnest that the public intend to put its hand to this business with serious resolution;and our judgment is based,not on any mere imaginings,but upon the actual result of the experiments already made.Still it must be remembered that so vast and desirable an end cannot be even practically contemplated without a proportionate financial outlay.Supposing,however,by the subscription of this amount the undertaking is fairly set afloat.The question may be asked,"What further funds will be required for its efficient maintenance?"This question we proceed to answer.Let us look at the three Colonies apart,and then at some of the circumstances which apply to the whole.To begin with,there is THE FINANCIAL ASPECT OF THE CITY COLONY.

Here there will be,of course,a considerable outlay required for the purchasing and fitting up of property,the acquisition of machinery,furniture,tools,and the necessary plant for carrying forward all these varied operations.These once acquired,no further outlay will be needed except for the necessary reparations.

The Homes for the Destitute will be nearly,if not quite,self-sustaining.

The Superior Homes for both Single and Married people will not only pay for themselves,but return some interest on the amount invested,which would be devoted to the futherance of other parts of the Scheme.

The Refuges for Fallen Girls would require considerable funds to keep them going.But the public has never been slow to practically express its sympathy with this class of work.

The Criminal Homes and Prison Gate Operations would require continued help,but not a very great deal.Then,the work in the Slums is somewhat expensive.The eighty young women at present engaged in it cost on an average 12s.per week each for personal maintenance,inclusive of clothes and other little matters,and there are expenses for Halls and some little relief which cannot in anyway be avoided,bringing our present annual Slum outlay to over #4,000.But the poor people amongst whom they work notwithstanding their extreme poverty,are already contributing over #1,000per annum towards this amount,which income will increase.Still as by this Scheme we propose to add at once a hundred to the number already engaged,money will be required to keep th is department going.

The Inebriate Home,I calculate,will maintain itself.All its inmates will have to engage in some kind of remunerative labour,and we calculate,in addition,upon receiving money with a considerable number of those availing themselves of its benefits.But to practically assist the half-million slaves of the cup we must have money not only to launch out but to keep our operations going.

The Food Depots,once fitted up,pay their own working expenses.

The Emigration,Advice,and Inquiry Bureaux must maintain themselves or nearly so.The Labour Shops,Anti-Sweating,and other similar operations will without question require money to make ends meet.

But on the whole,a very small sum of money,in proportion to the immense amount of work done,will enable us to accomplish a vast deal of good.

THE FARM COLONY FROM A FINANCIAL POINT OF VIEW.

Let us now turn to the Farm Colony,and consider it from a monetary standpoint.Here also a certain amount of money will have to be expended at the outset;some of the chief items of which will be the purchase of land,the erection of buildings,the supply of stock,and the production of first crops.There is an abundance of land in the market,at the present time,at very low prices.It is rather important for the initial experiment that an estate should be obtained not too far from London,with land suitable for immediate cultivation.

Such an estate would beyond question be expensive.After a time,I have no doubt,we shall be able to deal with land of almost any quality (and that in almost any part of the country),in consequence of the superabundance of labour we shall possess.There is no question if the scheme goes forward,but that estates will be required in connection with all our large towns and cities.I am not without hope that a sufficient quantity of land will be given,or,in any way,sold to us on very favourable terms.

When acquired and stocked,it is calculated that this land,if cultivated by spade husbandry,will support at least two persons per acre.The ordinary reckoning of those who have had experience with allotments gives five persons to three acres.

But,even supposing that this calculation is a little too sanguine,we can still reckon a farm of 500acres supporting,without any outside assistance,say,750persons.But,in this Scheme,we should have many advantages not possessed by the simple peasant,such as those resulting from combination,market gardening,and the other forms of cultivation already referred to,and thus we should want to place two or three times this number on that quantity of land.