WCP2731

[1]^{1, 2}

22 Greenside:

Kendal

March 4th 1910

Dear Sir,

I think perhaps I ought to apologise for not writing earlier. I have been sensible for many years of a debt of gratitude owed to you for the honour you have done me in speaking and writing so often and in such a friendly manner of my book "Poverty and the State." I am the minister of a free dissenting Congregation in this town, where I have been living since 1887. A Society was formed some 23 years ago called the House Colonisation Society of which I was Hon. Secretary[.] After much lecturing and newspaper advocacy I was induced by our Committee to make a public offer that — if the Public would contribute money enough to purchase an estate of land & capital to equip a Colony in Westmorland I would find myself to aet[?] as Honorary Director for seven years — and so try to carry out an experiment on the lines set forth in "Poverty and the State." This was done; and I "ran" the experiment for 9 years on 12 acres of unsuitable land; and I had under close observation during this period, some 160 men & women of the unemployed class and found them better than I had expected: — not more than ten persons were unfit for Colony life amongst those who came to me[.] I had an average village population of men[,] women and children for I had no faith in the ^economic value of an experiment on Monastic lives. At the end of this time I began to look around England for a Successor to carry on the work. We has been self supporting for 3 years. I decided that Dr Paton and the "Christian Union for Social Service" was most likely to carry on the work as I could approve; and I handed over ^{to them on trust —} the whole estate with buildings absolutely free from doubt and over £1200 of working capital.

Very soon they began to alter the object of the enterprise. It has been gradually diverted until today the estate is used entirely for epileptic boys. It is not a Colony as agreed "for the able-bodied unemployed Poor." Little boys of 6 or 8 years are taken & taught & nursed if they can afford to pay 12/- weekly or upward. And I am appealing to the Charity-Commissioners to have this stopped, and the original work proceeded with. Will you help me? I enclose a copy of a letter to them.

Yours faithfully | Herbert V. Mills [signature]