cks, even for them,
in unrestricted Socialism. They found that, because of the increased
rates, house rents were going up twelve and a half to twenty per
cent., notwithstanding the threats of the Socialists that every
landlord who raised his rents should have his assessments
increased."[678]

Owing to municipal enterprise directed by Socialists, "The sum-total
of the rates, which stood at _6s._ in the pound in 1890 and at _8s._
_1d._ in 1896, rose to _8s. 10-1/2d._ in the pound in 1900 and _9s._
_5-1/2d._ in the pound in 1901. From that figure it advanced to _9s._
_8d._ in the pound,"[679] and to _10s. 8d._ a little later. It is an
impudent misstatement of fact when Socialist leaders tell the workers,
"We are not killed by rates, we are killed by rent."[680] "The whole
of our municipal expenditure is only a paltry 110 millions a year.
What do we pay in rent? Two hundred and seventy-five millions!"[681]
After all, people in other countries, where the blessings of Socialist
local government are unknown, and where poverty is much rarer than in
Great Britain, also pay rent. On an average the rates are 150 per
cent. higher in Great Britain than in Germany.[682]

Whilst the national Government endeavours to diminish the dead weight
and the heavy yearly charge of national indebtedness, Socialist local
authorities vie with each other in piling up local indebtedness as
fast as possible with a reckless disregard of the future. The increase
of the municipal debt, the increase of local taxation, like the
increase of national taxation, has no terrors for Socialists. On the
contrary, "Municipal debt is not a burden. It is a splendid
investment. We 'owe' 370 millions. Do we 'own' nothing? The
municipalities own all the roads, drains, sewers, public buildings,
parks, libraries, a thousand waterworks, two hundred and sixty
gasworks, three hundred and thirty-four electricity undertakings, one
hundred and sixty-two tramways, two or three hundred markets, a
hundred and fifty cemeteries, forty-three harbours, piers, and docks,
numerous baths, washhouses, and working-class dwellings, thousands of
schools, and thousands of acres of land."[683] Since these words were
written local indebtedness has increased. "We owe" now 470 millions.

Unfortunately, many of the splendid assets enumerated possess no
realisable value whatever, and many municipal enterprises are run
without an adequate profit or with a loss.

The Socialist views and aims re