THE SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY.
I 14
pass book. Five years afterwards, in 1871, out of 10,671 pupils,
the number of pass-books was 8000, and since then the pro
portion has increased.
This may be the beginning of a transformation in the social
situation. Once the working man attains to the possession of
capital, he becomes immediately converted to ideas of order,
and the enemy of any revolutionary movement which might
take away from him his hardly won savings. This result can
only be arrived at by teaching him thrift from his childhood, so
that he may form the habit of saving. Afterwards, when he
has acquired the habit of useless or harmful spending, better
counsels will remain without fruit The only capital that will
be preserved is that which the labourer has himself created.
It is in vain to make loans to working men, as Lassalle de
manded should be done, or as the German Emperor, under
I the inspiration of Prince Bismarck, actually did; they would be
soon swallowed up, because the aptitude for making a good use
thereof would be wanting. He alone who knows how to create
capital will be in a position to manage, preserve, and increase
it. The working men’s societies, to which the French Govern
ment, in 1848, made advances, soon collapsed. The only ones
‘ ^ that can maintain themselves are those which, like the pioneers
of Rochdale, have formed their own capital by means of order ■
and economy. The system of school saving, as may be seen ,
in the reports of M. de Malarce, has been introduced into
T ' many towns in different countries, and notably in France. I
ÿ it can be made general, the benefits which will result from h '
are incalculable. What is most distressing, when one considers ¡
the condition of the labouring classes, is not so much the in*
' sufficiency of wages, as the bad use which is too often made o
1 them. An increase in remuneration results, for the most part, j
' in merely increasing the amount spent in drink, and thus io |
further degrading the workman. It is in vain to preach -
economy to grown men. Thrift is a virtue of habit, and it 1® I
, I ;• from childhood that it must be inculcated. j
L ' Through the initiation of M. Laurent, there were also
established at Ghent working men’s clubs, where the factory 1
‘ operatives could assemble to listen to debates, to go throug j
