The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-05-13
IR. BENEFITS LETTERS FROM EUROPE.


PARIS, April IL, 1917.
The Condition OF the Old W0rld-The Food
and Financial Crisis.
For some months past a panic in the money
markets of Western Europe has been generating
gradually. More recently this panic has been
increasing with considerable rapidity, particu-
larly in London and Paris Since last year all
the government stocks in France and England
have decreased very much, nearly 10 per cent in
SIX months, and great fears are entertained
among the bankers and capitalists, that the worst
has not yet been or felt. The specie is also
disappearing rapidly from their banks.
The causes OF this state OF things compll
Gated and numerous-some being permanent and
natural in the existing condition of Europe, and
others accidental, springing from the state of the
crops and the failure of certain articles of food.
The natural and permanent causes Of the panic
in the money markets of Western Europe, may
be found in the increase of the population, the
character of the governments, and the condition OF
society. Almost every government In Europe Is
in debt to a very large archaeological at the
head of the whole. TO pay the interest of these
debts, immense taxes are laid upon the working
population, while the stockholders are nearly all
idle and reproductive. These debts the
legacles of former wars, set on foot by kings,
princes, and mobiles, to crafty their ambition
and power. The mass of the people never have
received much benefit from wars or revolutions.
But this is not all. These public debts are still
increasing. The debt of England has increased
OF late considerably-and the debt of France.
since the revolution of 1880, has also increased
enormously. This only adds to the public
burdens on that score.
But again, every government IN Europe has
vast array of government officers, besides large
standing armies, all of whom are consumers OF
produce; but not one is a producer. Probably
the number of these two classes may be put
down at two millions Of able bodied men, from
princes down to common soldiers, who live out
of the earnings of the working classes. Perhaps
in all there are twenty millions of people, OF all
kinds ages, and sexes, who, by means of the
financial and government systems Of Europe, live |
in a state of idleness, luxury, and pleasure, en-
tirely paid for out of the earnings of the working
classes.
Such system Of society, under the natural |
increase of population, and the exhaustion of the
soil, must, in the order of things, produce fear
full results on the means of subsistence, sooner or
later. The power of eating is increasing by a
positive ratio over the power Of growing food |
The soil is limited, but the reproduction Of the !
race, and the ingenuity of idleness, are without
limit. The state of society and government
even diminishes the number of laborers and the
quantity of labor while it increases by its action
the number Of idle, luxurious mouths that must
be fed and pampered on delicacies. If, in the
midst of this condition of society, there is added
any considerable failure of the crops, the ele-
ments of such form of society converge at par
ticular eponts in scarcity, famine, starvation.
disease and death, among the lowest orders:
while among the higher classes, panic, money
PRESSURE disorder of the finances, and threaten
ing revolution, stare them in the face.
This point has been almost reached in France
and England, and somewhat partially in other
European countries. The potato crops failed in
ireland and Scotland, and also TO a certain ex-
tent in France. The first result of this new
element of disorder to modern society in West
ern Europe, was the breaking down of political
factions in England-aGsort of natural revolution
in her local government-and in France, the
breaking out of emeutes in many If her provinces,
the increase of her standing army, and the i'm
mense gratuitous distribution of food to the
,umultuous population of Paris, during the whole
of last winter, and yet continued, reviving in
rors, when the people had to be fed by the
reigning emperor; or a revolution would take
place on the next day.
Such is the exact picture of things in Western
Europe. 1t has reached most momentous point
in social and political history. The elements
of civilization and barbarism have grown
together in the framework of society, like the
weed and flower in the half cultivated desert -
T.. T u. ~
borhood, the savage and the civilized breathe the
same air. There is no necessity to go backwards
into past history few thousands of years-or to
travel thousands Of leagues into the interior of
Africa or Asia, to discover specimens of the sa-
wage, ignorant, miserable, poor and shocking
such can be found in the narrow streets and dark
lanes OF London and Paris. and in almost every |
town in Europe. And IN point of ignorance and |
brutality, the modern savage is probably better
entitled to the premium than his ancient brother.
The construction of society and government in |
Europe breeds these strange contrasts-these
anomalies. Many see this state Of things-many
close their eyes to the fact and the issue-and a
few try in vain to discover a remedy and a cure.
Legislative bodies such as the British Parliament
and the French Chambers, try to find a remedy;
but their selfishness, their ease, and their own
monopoly of power and luxury, prevent them
from administering any thing but quackery ard
expedients of the day.
Such is the position Of Western Europe.
general panic in the money market, growing and
spreading every day, is only the natural results of
the conflicting elements Of society, rendered
more intense by the destruction of large por-
ton of the crops of last year. The extraordinary
movements in the construction of railroads all
over Europe, during the last few years, yet con-
tinued to a great extent, have had some little in
fuence of mixed kind on the working of these
elements. During the period of construction,
the railroad system will add to the intensity of
population, without much affecting the means
of REPRODUCTION. But when all these railroads shall
have been finished, fearful aggravation will be
addad tn h. d,aaxdsxad AL lutat aE