OUR LAWS.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3645, 1 September 1880, Page 2

OUR LAWS.

(To the Editor of the Erening Star.) Sib, —In a leading article of yours, dated August 21st, on duoation, you write—" The duty of the State to supply people with the necessaries of life but not with luxuries is a principle analogous to that we hare referred to." Sir, what* ever might hare been the duty of the State iv the past I wish to call your attention to the fact that the present State does not consider it its duty to supply its starring, either with necessaries or luxuries, unless,,the£ get into debt for it. I fctiude to the' so-called Charitable AidJJU], - which is misnamed, as it should be called Aid t» Prison Bill, for if a starring man should apply to the State for food,;aad:h«" has ««y Yefetire who the Gorernnmtt; -think <»n.-jtfford, to pay, .itiwy iwill rfce;.— JMife to $«y or go to prison. Hfoi" that jw - stamrjflg*v»n has no probability t«7^being •■ free from -dtftn, Education .earns? tobe made use of by those making the 1 hrws to keep men always poor, and to find TiiOFe roads to prison than has before been known of; it does not seem to enable our rulers to better anyone's condition but -their own. I will instance three laws which are within everyone's knowledge. The compulsory clauses of the Education Act, by which a man can be sent to prison, the so called Charitable Aid Bill, and the Water Sate Bill, which will not allow a man to give a drop of water to a poor man after it is paid for; these are three additional crimes added which hare not before been known of to crush the poor. I have always been of opinion that erery man has a right to lire whether he works or not, but if he means to make 'money, then he must work, seeing that everyone is not alike physically. Of course lam aware it will be said no one would work, but I find many men are not able to get work, and hare to lire on those who can ill-afford to keep them, and the want of means keeps many men from getting work or doing what they could to get a liring. Sir, do you not think there would be leas drunkenness, less crime and disease if erery man, woman, and child was allowed as a right, not as a charity, what is now given as such. There always will be crime, but the great incentire to it, the fear'of star* ration, would be gone if erery man, woman, and child was allowed as a right that which we allow our animals. We might hare some call to be looked up to as Christians, the saring in our prisonbills would pay for the outlay. Down South the Government are finding work ' and land for the unemployed (I suppose they are Gorernment supporters); why should one class of men be treated 'one • ,^ way down South and the same classed treated differently in the North under one State P There the labourers are helped by the Gorernment out of our taxes, here we have ta keep ourselres.

P.B.P.