in darkest england and the way out-第26章

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he　alchemy　of　science　can　extract　beautiful　colours　from　coal　tar；　cannot　Divine　alchemy　enable　us　to　evolve　gladness　and　brightness　out　of　the　agonised　hearts　and　dark；　dreary；　loveless　lives　of　these　doomed　myriads？　　Is　it　too　much　to　hope　that　in　God's　world　God's　children　may　be　able　to　do　something；　if　they　set　to　work　with　a　will；　to　carry　out　a　plan　of　campaign　against　these　great　evils　which　are　the　nightmare　of　our　existence？

The　remedy；　it　may　be；　is　simpler　than　some　imagine。　　The　key　to　the　enigma　may　lie　closer　to　our　hands　than　we　have　any　idea　of。　Many　devices　have　been　tried；　and　many　have　failed；　no　doubt；　it　is　only　stubborn；　reckless　perseverance　that　can　hope　to　succeed；　it　is　well　that　we　recognise　this。　　How　many　ages　did　men　try　to　make　gunpowder　and　never　succeeded？　　They　would　put　saltpetre　to　charcoal；　or　charcoal　to　sulphur；　or　saltpetre　to　sulphur；　and　so　were　ever　unable　to　make　the　compound　explode。　　But　it　has　only　been　discovered　within　the　last　few　hundred　years　that　all　three　were　needed。　Before　that　gunpowder　was　a　mere　imagination；　a　phantasy　of　the　alchemists。　　How　easy　it　is　to　make　gunpowder；　now　the　secret　of　its　manufacture　is　known！

But　take　a　simpler　illustration；　one　which　lies　even　within　the　memory　of　some　that　read　these　pages。　　From　the　beginning　of　the　world　down　to　the　beginning　of　this　century；　mankind　had　not　found　out；　with　all　its　striving　after　cheap　and　easy　transport；　the　miraculous　difference　that　would　be　brought　about　by　laying　down　two　parallel　lines　of　metal。　All　the　great　men　and　the　wise　men　of　the　past　lived　and　died　oblivious　of　that　fact。　　The　greatest　mechanicians　and　engineers　of　antiquity；　the　men　who　bridged　all　the　rivers　of　Europe；　the　architects　who　built　the　cathedrals　which　are　still　the　wonder　of　the　world；　failed　to　discern　what　seems　to　us　so　obviously　simple　a　proposition；　that　two　parallel　lines　of　rail　would　diminish　the　cost　and　difficulty　of　transport　to　a　minimum。　　Without　that　discovery　the　steam　engine；　which　has　itself　been　an　invention　of　quite　recent　years；　would　have　failed　to　transform　civilisation。

What　we　have　to　do　in　the　philanthropic　sphere　is　to　find　something　analogous　to　the　engineers'　parallel　bars。　　This　discovery　think　I　have　made；　and　hence　have　I　written　this　book。


SECTION　2MY　SCHEME

What；　then；　is　my　Scheme？　　It　is　a　very　simple　one；　although　in　its　ramifications　and　extensions　it　embraces　the　whole　world。　　In　this　book　I　profess　to　do　no　more　than　to　merely　outline；　as　plainly　and　as　simply　as　I　can；　the　fundamental　features　of　my　proposals。　　I　propose　to　devote　the　bulk　of　this　volume　to　setting　forth　what　can　practically　be　done　with　one　of　the　most　pressing　parts　of　the　problem；　namely；　that　relating　to　those　who　are　out　of　work；　and　who；　as　the　result；　are　more　or　less　destitute。　　I　have　many　ideas　of　what　might　be　done　with　those　who　are　at　present　cared　for　in　some　measure　by　the　State；　but　I　will　leave　these　ideas　for　the　present。

It　is　not　urgent　that　I　should　explain　how　our　Poor　Law　system　could　be　reformed；　or　what　I　should　like　to　see　done　for　the　Lunatics　in　Asylums；　or　the　Criminals　in　Gaols。　　The　persons　who　are　provided　for　by　the　State　we　will；　therefore；　for　the　moment；　leave　out　of　count。　The　indoor　paupers；　the　convicts；　the　inmates　of　the　lunatic　asylums　are　cared　for；　in　a　fashion；　already。　　But；　over　and　above　all　these；　there　exists　some　hundreds　of　thousands　who　are　not　quartered　on　the　State；　but　who　are　living　on　the　verge　of　despair；　and　who　at　any　moment；　under　circumstances　of　misfortune；　might　be　compelled　to　demand　relief　or　support　in　one　shape　or　another。　　I　will　confine　myself；　therefore；　for　the　present　to　those　who　have　no　helper。

It　is　possible；　I　think　probable；　if　the　proposals　which　I　am　now　putting　forward　are　carried　out　successfully　in　relation　to　the　lost；　homeless；　and　helpless　of　the　population；　that　many　of　those　who　are　at　the　present　moment　in　somewhat　better　circumstances　will　demand　that　they　also　shall　be　allowed　to　partake　in　the　benefits　of　the　Scheme。　But　upon　this；　also；　I　remain　silent。　　I　merely　remark　that　we　have；　in　the　recognition　of　the　importance　of　discipline　and　organisation；　what　may　be　called　regimented　co…operation；　a　principle　that　will　be　found　valuable　for　solving　many　social　problems　other　than　that　of　destitution。　　Of　these　plans；　which　are　at　present　being　brooded　over　with　a　view　to　their　realisation　when　the　time　is　propitious　and　the　opportunity　occurs；　I　shall　have　something　to　say。

What　is　the　outward　and　visible　form　of　the　Problem　of　the　Unemployed？　Alas！　we　are　all　too　familiar　with　it　for　any　lengthy　description　to　be　necessary。　　The　social　problem　presents　itself　before　us　whenever　a　hungry；　dirty　and　ragged　man　stands　at　our　door　asking　if　we　can　give　him　a　crust　or　a　job。　　That　is　the　social　question。　　What　are　you　to　do　with　that　man？　　He　has　no　money　in　his　pocket；　all　that　he　can　pawn　he　has　pawned　long　ago；　his　stomach　is　as　empty　as　his　purse；　and　the　whole　of　the　clothes　upon　his　back；　even　if　sold　on　the　best　terms；　would　not　fetch　a　shilling。　　There　he　stands；　your　brother；　with　sixpennyworth　of　rags　to　cover　his　nakedness　from　his　fellow　men　and　not　sixpennyworth　of　victuals　within　his　reach。　　He　asks　for　work；　which　he　will　set　to　even　on　his　empty　stomach　and　in　his　ragged　uniform；　if　so　be　that　you　will　give　him　something　for　it；　but　his　hands　are　idle；　for　no　one　employs　him。　　What　are　you　to　do　with　that　man？　　That　is　the　great　note　of　interrogation　that　confronts　Society　to…day。　　Not　only　in　overcrowded　England；　but　in　newer　countries　beyond　the　sea；　where　Society　has　not　yet　provided　a　means　by　which　the　men　can　be　put　upon　the　land　and　the　land　be　made　to　feed　the　men。　To　deal　with　this　man　is　the　Problem　of　the　Unemployed。　　To　deal　with　him　effectively　you　must　deal　with　him　immediately；　you　must　provide　him　in　some　way　or　other　at　once　with　food；　and　shelter；　and　warmth。　Next　you　must　find　him　something　to　do；　something　that　will　test　the　reality　of　his　desire　to　work。　　This　test　must　be　more　or　less　temporary；　and　should　be　of　such　a　nature　as　to　prepare　him　for　making　a　permanent　livelihood。　　Then；　having　trained　him；　you　must　provide　him　wherewithal　to　start　life　afresh。　　All　these　things　I　propose　to　do。　My　Scheme　divides　itself　into　three　sections；　each　of　which　is　indispensable　for　the　success　of　the　whole。　　In　this　three…fold　organisation　lies　the　open　secret　of　the　solution　of　the　Social　Problem。

The　Scheme　I　have　to　offer　consists　in　the　formation　of　these　people　into　self…helping　and　self…sustaining　communities；　each　being　a　kind　of　co…operative　society；　or　patriarchal　family；　governed　and　disciplined　on　the　principles　which　have　already　proved　so　effective　in　the　Salvation　Army。


These　communities　we　will　call；　for　want　of　a　better　term；　Colonies。　There　will　be：　

　（1）　The　City　Colony。　　（2）　The　Farm　Colony。　　（3）　The　Over…Sea　Colony。


THE　CITY　COLONY。

By　the　City　Colony　is　meant　the　establishment；　in　the　very　centre　of　the　ocean　of　misery　of　which　we　have　been　speaking；　of　a　number　of　Institutions　to　act　as　Harbours　of　Refuge　for　all　and　any　who　have　been　shipwrecked　in　life；　character；　or　circumstances。　　These　Harbours　will　gather　up　the　poor　destitute　creatures；　supply　their　immediate　pressing　necessities；　furnish　temporary　employment；　inspire　them　with　hope　for　the　future；　and　commence　at　once　a　course　of　regeneration　by　moral　and　religious　influences。

From　these　Institutions；　which　are　hereafter　described；　numbers　would；　after　a　short　time；　be　floated　off　to　permanent　employment；　or　sent　home　to　friends　happy　to　receive　them　on　hearing　of　their　reformation。　All　who　remain　on　our　hands　would；　by　varied　means；　be　tested　as　to　their　sincerity；　industry；　and　honesty；　and　as　soon　as　satisfaction　was　created；　be　passed　on　to　the　Colony　of　the　second　class。


THE　FARM　COLONY。

This　would　consist　of　a　settlement　of　the　Colonists　on　an　estate　in　the　provinces；　in　the　culture　of　which　they　would　find　employment　and　obtain　support。　　As　the　race　from　the　Country　to　the　City　has　been　the　cause　of　much　of　the　distress　we　have　to　battle　with；　we　propose　to　find　a　substantial　p