The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1866-12-29 00:00:00

THE PALACE OF THE PRODIGAL SON.

The Parts correspondent of the Da , wgsends over the
following toseres. tog arc mot of a “Co-operative n,ctety "
on a large scar, which Is shoat to be Inaugurated In Parts

- .•
By the Chateso d'Eau in Paris on the &inlay/trie—
s vast edifice, highly ornamented, and with pointed
roof and corner towers, is receiving now its finishing
architectural touchew The vast proportions of the
building lead passers-by to imagine that it is some
national monument—the palatial home of come public
department. It is nothing of the kind. It is, the
inquirer is told, the gorgeous birth-place of a new
system of trade. Its plan and aspect are to dazzle the
world next spring. People of all nations are to Hock
to it, after they have revelled in the wondereaf the
Champ de Mars, and are to we in He operations a
system that is to regenerate and ennoble commerce.
I am told that no lees than 400,000/. have been already
spent on this place of trial for the new idea which m
to startle the world next spring.. The " idea" '
appear, to have been originated by M. Edouard
Alextuadre, the famous harmonium builder, of Ivry,
and was first applied to the eels of organ. for the
village churches of France. In this palace it is, we
are told, to be applied on a great scale, to be hence
spread imer the empire, possibly " to the extinction of
pauperism." Ths idea mwy be a Utopian one, im-
possible of realisation, but it has been filtered through
the minds of many practical men it would seem, Who
have one and all pronounced it to be both sound and
feadible. As I have wad, it was first applied to the
sale of organs for village chorches, after it had been
enbmitted to the Minister of Public Instruction and
Worship, and had leceived Lis sanction. The minis-
ter went so far a, to appoint a cothroission to examine
inbi the scope 1110re:bearing of ibis new ey dein
of trade. It was on the report of this commission that
lin 18113 the niinieter addressed an offi, id l cir-
cular to all the prefects of the empire, owning upon
them to recommend the aerplisition f.f organs in village
churches and public schools on M. Alexaasirs'a plan.
From this beginning the preseot monument ass
sprung. It is to carry cot an experiment on a gigantic
scale to the honour of enterprising France in Idfii.
Groups of puzzled people collect about the great
budding at all hours of tee day, wondering what the
mystery may be. There is a large board fixed upon
the rcaffolding, bearing them wools, "Magasins
!Leonia!" The United Shops! Thin name suggests
merely a bazaar on an unprecedeeted scale—an in.
cloeled town of shops. A line und;r the title only
deepens the perplexity of the reader. He is told that
the United Shope are built for the sale of goods,
"under a new mystem, with re-imbursement by obliga-
tiou-warrants." The budding is already called by the
E./cations workmen of the Quartier St. Antoine the
Palace of the Prodigal Son. Of all the faretire, how-
ever, which have obtained of late about the Chateau
d'Ewn, the notion of the Palace of the Poodigal Son
is by far the hapi lest ! It will be no longer possible
for the prodigal son to ruin himpelf. Let him run up
a tutor's bill as long as the Boulevard+, let him cover
himself with jewels and perfumes, and swathe himself
in the norm of 'teem., and drink deeply of the cost-
liest cr., and provide himself with the most expensive
stud of homer, and the most lt.xctnous carriag. ; and
yet he shall he ne far from loin, when he has omen the
isst cram n of his will nate, as he was when, laden with
his splendid inheritance, he decamped from under the
paternal nil. Henceforth to he ruined by extrava-
geoce is to he aliroot an ; at least, the
way to the d .gs will ho mad'- as difficult in the future
as it has been easy in the need. Ihe way to fortune
Is to become as clear and well beaten as the path to