Preface.

In introducing my State co-operative farm scheme to the public, I know I have undertaken a great task, especially when I compare my abilities and education with those of learned men who have written upon this great subject before me. But I claim to have as fair an amount of general knowledge upon the subject as the writers I refer to; and I claim to have solved, and worked out in detail, the great problem of relief, which other writers have failed to do. I am sensible of my lack of power to set my plans before the reader in a taking style, so I ask the reader to overlook defects of style and language in this essay, and to look well and carefully into the details and workings of the whole scheme as compared with those of similar scope propounded by other writers. The scheme I now propose has for its object the relief of poverty and unemployed, the settlement of the land, the introduction of good immigrants, the saving of hundreds of thousands of pounds in getting them here, and great improvement in the training of our orphans. I have read numerous writers upon this matter, but neither Henry George, Herbert V. Mills, W. L. Rees, Platt, nor Bellamy has shown even a starting-point. Mr. W. L. Rees's co-operative system is very good; Bellamy's would be good if attainable; Henry George and Platt show what is needed; but Herbert V. Mills shows the clearest and most practicable way to attain relief of any I have read. It is all very well to say the land belongs to the people. Henry George tells us that every man is entitled to as much land as he himself can utilise in order to earn for himself and his family the necessaries of life. But, I ask, how is this to be obtained? In this and nearly every country the most of all available land around or near any market town is owned by some person; so that when those who are outside, so to speak, page vi wish to settle upon waste lands, generally the price of the land is required. Then there are the expenses of travelling to the spot, next a home of some sort is required, to say nothing of stock, fencing, a few farm implements, a little capital for temporary wants, and seed for cropping. How, then, are the majority of the public or unemployed to become possessors of even as much as they themselves would be able to cultivate for the maintenance of themselves and their families without some assistance? Such assistance must necessarily come from the Government, acting in trust for the whole community. But this needs to be done, if possible, in such a way that the country shall get no further into debt, whereby heavier burdens would be laid on the already overburdened taxpayer. Again, where numbers of people are settled upon land it is absolutely necessary to have roads. Thus, the whole work of doing away with poverty and settling people on the land must be undertaken by the Government in trust for the State. To do so money must be had. Then who shall pay the interest? Those who are going to be directly benefited, I should say. But such great reforms can only be accomplished by following some direct practical and systematical plan or system. Such plan or system should be well and carefully looked into, as to the possible, practical, and probable results. If considered good and practicable, adopt it at once; half-measures will not do; it must be a thorough reform.

To deal successfully with the want and wretchedness of the helpless and unemployed requires something more than temporary relief. Then, we must provide permanent homes for the aged and needy, and remunerative employment for all surplus labour, thus enabling those at present unemployed to enjoy the fruits of their own industry instead of spending their days in enforced idleness, eating the bread of their fellow-workers. I hold it to be the duty of the State to provide for all who are unable to provide for themselves: thence, I say, State co-operation in production of the necessaries and luxuries of life is absolutely necessary. Again, in these times of growing competition, it is more necessary than ever that the State should make some provision for the aged and infirm. At the present dav employers in any capacity, be they individuals, companies, local page vii bodies, or the Government, when wanting labourers, invariably all want young people, whether it is for male or female employment. The result is that boys and girls are filling the places of men: thus the aged are crowded out in the struggle for life, and must become paupers. Would it not be wiser if the Government and local bodies were to employ the aged, even though they required more men, paying them according to their abilities? Young men are better able to travel from one end of the country to the other, or to go to the gold-, silver-, or coal-mines, or to the gumfields, than the aged married men. Thence, I say, the necessity for Government to provide some permanent home and employment for the aged.