Pension and Charity Distinguished.

On the other hand, charitable aid, or poor relief, has an altogether different basis. We relieve the destitute, of whatever age, and however unworthy, because they are destitute, and because our humanity forbids our leaving them to starve. The appeal is to our mercy here, as it was to our justice in the other case; need is the test in the one case, in the other merit; what is given is alms in the one case, in the other it is wages. In principle nothing could be clearer than the distinction between these two things, but unfortunately in practice nothing seems easier than to confuse them.