the ragged trousered philanthropists-第114部分

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‘These　are　the　principles　upon　which　the　CO…OPERATIVE　COMMONWEALTH　of　the　future　will　be　organized。　　The　State　in　which　no　one　will　be　distinguished　or　honoured　above　his　fellows　except　for　Virtue　or　Talent。　　Where　no　man　will　find　his　profit　in　another's　loss；　and　we　shall　no　longer　be　masters　and　servants；　but　brothers；　free　men；　and　friends。　　Where　there　will　be　no　weary；　broken　men　and　women　passing　their　joyless　lives　in　toil　and　want；　and　no　little　children　crying　because　they　are　hungry　or　cold。

‘A　State　wherein　it　will　be　possible　to　put　into　practice　the　teachings　of　Him　whom　so　many　now　pretend　to　follow。　　A　society　which　shall　have　justice　and　co…operation　for　its　foundation；　and　International　Brotherhood　and　love　for　its　law。

　　　　　　　　‘Such　are　the　days　that　shall　be！　but　　　　　　　　　What　are　the　deeds　of　today；　　　　　　　　　In　the　days　of　the　years　we　dwell　in；　　　　　　　　　That　wear　our　lives　away？　　　　　　　　　Why；　then；　and　for　what　we　are　waiting？　　　　　　　　　There　are　but　three　words　to　speak　　　　　　　　　〃We　will　it；〃　and　what　is　the　foreman　　　　　　　　　but　the　dream　strong　wakened　and　weak？　　　　　　　　　‘Oh；　why　and　for　what　are　we　waiting；　while　　　　　　　　　our　brothers　droop　and　die？　　　　　　　　　And　on　every　wind　of　the　heavens；　a　　　　　　　　　wasted　life　goes　by。　　　　　　　　　‘How　long　shall　they　reproach　us；　where　　　　　　　　　crowd　on　crowd　they　dwell　　　　　　　　　Poor　ghosts　of　the　wicked　city；　　　　　　　　　gold　crushed；　hungry　hell？　　　　　　　　　‘Through　squalid　life　they　laboured　in　　　　　　　　　sordid　grief　they　died　　　　　　　　　Those　sons　of　a　mighty　mother；　those　　　　　　　　　props　of　England's　pride。　　　　　　　　　They　are　gone；　there　is　none　can　undo　　　　　　　　　it；　nor　save　our　souls　from　the　curse；　　　　　　　　　But　many　a　million　cometh；　and　shall　　　　　　　　　they　be　better　or　worse？

　　　　　　　　‘It　is　We　must　answer　and　hasten　and　open　wide　the　door；　　　　　　　　　For　the　rich　man's　hurrying　terror；　and　the　slow　foot　hope　of　　　　　　　　　the　poor；　　　　　　　　　Yea；　the　voiceless　wrath　of　the　wretched　and　their　unlearned　　　　　　　　　discontent；　　　　　　　　　We　must　give　it　voice　and　wisdom；　till　the　waiting　tide　be　　　　　　　　　spent　　　　　　　　　Come　then　since　all　things　call　us；　the　living　and　the　dead；　　　　　　　　　And　o'er　the　weltering　tangle　a　glimmering　light　is　shed。'

As　Barrington　descended　from　the　Pulpit　and　walked　back　to　his　accustomed　seat；　a　loud　shout　of　applause　burst　from　a　few　men　in　the　crowd；　who　stood　up　and　waved　their　caps　and　cheered　again　and　again。　When　order　was　restored；　Philpot　rose　and　addressed　the　meeting：

‘Is　there　any　gentleman　wot　would　like　to　ask　the　Speaker　a　question？'

No　one　spoke　and　the　Chairman　again　put　the　question　without　obtaining　any　response；　but　at　length　one　of　the　new　hands　who　had　been　‘taken　on'　about　a　week　previously　to　replace　another　painter　who　had　been　sacked　for　being　too　slow　…　stood　up　and　said　there　was　one　point　that　he　would　like　a　little　more　information　about。　　This　man　had　two　patches　on　the　seat　of　his　trousers；　which　were　also　very　much　frayed　and　ragged　at　the　bottoms　of　the　legs：　the　lining　of　his　coat　was　all　in　rags；　as　were　also　the　bottoms　of　the　sleeves；　his　boots　were　old　and　had　been　many　times　mended　and　patched；　the　sole　of　one　of　them　had　begun　to　separate　from　the　upper　and　he　had　sewn　these　parts　together　with　a　few　stitches　of　copper　wire。　　He　had　been　out　of　employment　for　several　weeks　and　it　was　evident　from　the　pinched　expression　of　his　still　haggard　face　that　during　that　time　he　had　not　had　sufficient　to　eat。　　This　man　was　not　a　drunkard；　neither　was　he　one　of　those　semi…mythical　persons　who　are　too　lazy　to　work。　　He　was　married　and　had　several　children。　　One　of　them；　a　boy　of　fourteen　years　old；　earned　five　shillings　a　week　as　a　light　porter　at　a　Grocer's。

Being　a　householder　the　man　had　a　vote；　but　he　had　never　hitherto　taken　much　interest　in　what　he　called　‘politics'。　　In　his　opinion；　those　matters　were　not　for　the　likes　of　him。　　He　believed　in　leaving　such　difficult　subjects　to　be　dealt　with　by　his　betters。　　In　his　present　unhappy　condition　he　was　a　walking　testimonial　to　the　wisdom　and　virtue　and　benevolence　of　those　same　‘betters'　who　have　hitherto　managed　the　affairs　of　the　world　with　results　so　very　satisfactory　for　themselves。

‘I　should　like　to　ask　the　speaker；'　he　said；　‘supposin'　all　this　that　'e　talks　about　is　done　…　what's　to　become　of　the　King；　and　the　Royal　Family；　and　all　the　Big　Pots？'

‘'Ear；　'ear；'　cried　Crass；　eagerly　…　and　Ned　Dawson　and　the　man　behind　the　moat　both　said　that　that　was　what　they　would　like　to　know；　too。

‘I　am　much　more　concerned　about　what　is　to　become　of　ourselves　if　these　things　are　not　done；'　replied　Barrington。　　‘I　think　we　should　try　to　cultivate　a　little　more　respect　of　our　own　families　and　to　concern　ourselves　a　little　less　about　〃Royal〃　Families。　　I　fail　to　see　any　reason　why　we　should　worry　ourselves　about　those　people；　they're　all　right　…　they　have　all　they　need；　and　as　far　as　I　am　aware；　nobody　wishes　to　harm　them　and　they　are　well　able　to　look　after　themselves。　They　will　fare　the　same　as　the　other　rich　people。'

‘I　should　like　to　ask；'　said　Harlow；　‘wot's　to　become　of　all　the　gold　and　silver　and　copper　money？　　Wouldn't　it　be　of　no　use　at　all？'

‘It　would　be　of　far　more　use　under　Socialism　than　it　is　at　present。　The　State　would　of　course　become　possessed　of　a　large　quantity　of　it　in　the　early　stages　of　the　development　of　the　Socialist　system；　because　…　at　first　…　while　the　State　would　be　paying　all　its　officers　and　productive　workers　in　paper；　the　rest　of　the　community　…　those　not　in　State　employ　…　would　be　paying　their　taxes　in　gold　as　at　present。　All　travellers　on　the　State　railways　…　other　than　State　employees　…　would　pay　their　fares　in　metal　money；　and　gold　and　silver　would　pour　into　the　State　Treasury　from　many　other　sources。　　The　State　would　receive　gold　and　silver　and　…　for　the　most　part　…　pay　out　paper。　　By　the　time　the　system　of　State　employment　was　fully　established；　gold　and　silver　would　only　be　of　value　as　metal　and　the　State　would　purchase　it　from　whoever　possessed　and　wished　to　sell　it　…　at　so　much　per　pound　as　raw　material：　instead　of　hiding　it　away　in　the　vaults　of　banks；　or　locking　it　up　in　iron　safes；　we　shall　make　use　of　it。　　Some　of　the　gold　will　be　manufactured　into　articles　of　jewellery；　to　be　sold　for　paper　money　and　worn　by　the　sweethearts　and　wives　and　daughters　of　the　workers；　some　of　it　will　be　beaten　out　into　gold　leaf　to　be　used　in　the　decoration　of　the　houses　of　the　citizens　and　of　public　buildings。　　As　for　the　silver；　it　will　be　made　into　various　articles　of　utility　for　domestic　use。　　The　workers　will　not　then；　as　now；　have　to　eat　their　food　with　poisonous　lead　or　brass　spoons　and　forks；　we　shall　have　these　things　of　silver　and　if　there　is　not　enough　silver　we　shall　probably　have　a　non…poisonous　alloy　of　that　metal。'

‘As　far　as　I　can　make　out；'　said　Harlow；　‘the　paper　money　will　be　just　as　valuable　as　gold　and　silver　is　now。　　Well；　wot's　to　prevent　artful　dodgers　like　old　Misery　and　Rushton　saving　it　up　and　buying　and　selling　things　with　it；　and　so　livin'　without　work？'

‘Of　course；'　said　Crass；　scornfully。　　‘It　would　never　do！'

‘That's　a　very　simple　matter；　any　man　who　lives　without　doing　any　useful　work　is　living　on　the　labour　of　others；　he　is　robbing　others　of　part　of　the　result　of　their　labour。　　The　object　of　Socialism　is　to　stop　this　robbery；　to　make　it　impossible。　　So　no　one　will　be　able　to　hoard　up　or　accumulate　the　paper　money　because　it　will　be　dated；　and　will　become　worthless　if　it　is　not　spent　within　a　certain　time　after　its　issue。　　As　for　buying　and　selling　for　profit　…　from　whom　would　they　buy？　　And　to　whom　would　they　sell？'

‘Well；　they　might　buy　some　of　the　things　the　workers　didn't　want；　for　less　than　the　workers　paid　for　them；　and　then　they　could　sell　'em　again。'

‘They'd　have　to　sell　them　for　less　than　the　price　charged　at　the　National　Stores；　and　if　you　think　about　it　a　little　you'll　see　that　it　would　not　be　very　profitable。　　It　would　be　with　the　object　of　preventing　any　attempts　at　private　trading　that　the　Administration　would　refuse　to　pay　compensation　to　private　owners　in　a　lump　sum。　　All　such　compensations　would　be　paid；　as　I　said；　in　the　form　of　a　pension　of　so　much　per　year。

‘Another　very　effective　way　to　prevent　private　trading　would　be　to　make　it　a　criminal　offence　against　the　well…being　of　the　community。　At　present　many　forms　of　business　are　illegal　unless　you　take　out　a　licence；　under　Socialism　no　one　would　be　allowed　to　trade　without　a　licence；　and　no　licences　would　be　issued。'

‘Wouldn't　a　man　be　allowed　to　save　up　his　money　if　he　wanted　to；　demanded　Slyme　with　indignation。

‘There　will　be　nothing　to　prevent　a　man　going　without　some　of　the　things　he　might　have　if　he　is　foolish　enough　to　do　so；　but　he　would　never　be　able　to　save　up　enough　to　avoid　doing　his　share　of　useful　service。　　Besides；　what　need　would　there　be　for　anyone　to　save？　　One's　old　age　would　be　provided　for。　　No　one　could　ever　be　out　of　employment。　　If　one　was　ill　the　State　hospitals　and　Medical　Service　would　be　free。　　As　for　one's　children；　they　would　attend　the　State　Free　Schools　and　Colleges　and　when　of　age　they　would　enter　the　State　Service；　their　futures　provided　for。　　Can　you　tell　us　why　anyone　would　need　or　wish　to　save？'

Slyme　couldn't。

‘Are　there　any　more　questions？'　demanded　Philpot。

‘While　we　are　speaking　of　money；'　added　Barrington；　‘I　should　like　to　remind　you　that　even　under　the　present　system　there　are　many　things　which　cost　money　to　maintain；　that　we　enjoy　without　having　to　pay　for　directly。　　The　public　roads　and　pavements　cost　money　to　make　and　maintain　and　light。　　So　do　the　parks；　museums　and　bridges。　　But　they　are　free　to　all。　　Under　a　Socialist　Administration　this　principle　will　be　extended　…　in　addition　to　the　free　services　we　enjoy　now　we　shall　then　maintain　the　trains　and　railways　for　the　use　of　the　public；　free。　And　as　time　goes　on；　this　method　of　doing　business　will　be　adopted　in　many　other　directions。'

‘I've　read　somewhere；'　said　Harlow；　‘that　whenever　a　Government　in　any　country　has　started　issuing　paper　money　it　has　always　led　to　bankruptcy。　　How　do　you　know　that　the　same　thing　would　not　happen　under　a　Socialist　Administration？'

‘'Ear；　'ear；'　said　Crass。　　‘I　was　just　goin'　to　say　the　same　thing。'