[152b-500]

Poor Bill Systems compared

Justice - or Legitimacy of the title to relief

The bad economy, the universal tendency, and the injustice wear a different complexion and present still harder features, where instead of being bestowed although on such had terms, upon real indigence, the bounty is /wasted/ lavished upon /importune/ fraudulent rapacity, under the mesh of indigence. Thus much as to the expence of affording relief, the existence of the demand for relief, the title as it may be called to relief being supposed. The allowance in the way of relief under each head, being supposed to be determined, the question /comparison/ has hitherto been /turned/ concerning the most economical /frugal and cheapest/ mode of providing that allowance.

But does the demand (in the instance of the individual in question) really exist? Does it exist to the extent to which it is alledged to exist? - On the answers to these questions turns /depends/ a consideration /a head/ /an article/ of economy, of greater importance than all the preceding ones put together. Here the question goes to the whole of the allowance - there, it goes only to a per centage on the amount of that allowance.

Under this head we shall find the advantage as conspicuously on the side /in favour/ of the Public- Establishment System, as under any of the former heads.

Under the Public-Establishment System, under the Public-Establishment how badly soever conducted, we shall find at least two checks opposed to unfounded claims: 1. obligation, or at the worst visible /probability/ danger of being subjected to the obligation of performing work: 2 obligation of residing on a spot which is not and of living in conformity to a set of rules which are not, of a mans own choice.

+ Dissertation 1786 Dilly