New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-12-02
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DURING the reign of the Grand M0RGyc9Uc, the
rural population OF France wanted bread half OF the
time. Under the sway Of Louis Nv. 1t had bread
two days out of three, but sufficient progress had
been made under Louis XVI TO give II bread three
fourths of the year-whlle under the Empire and
the rule of the Citizen King, wages were sufficient
to supply the laborer with bread through the year,
and leave surplus toward procuring other food
and clothing.
has been going in the condition of the agricultural
laboreTs OF France, from rise IN the ABSOLUTE
amount of Their wages, and IN the proportion which
they bear TO the entire product and To the share o the
capitalist The proportion to the entire product has
almost doubled IN one hundred and fly years, hay-
ing risen from IS per cent TO 90. As bet ~een the
laboTeIS and the capitalists 1t was, ~ 100, 30 per
cent to the former, and IS 10 the latter. Is is now
90 per cent. TO the former, and 40 TO the latter,
who, al of getting t"OthlTds of the product,
twice as much as the iaboreIs, now get but two
hhs, leaving the laO0reTs 80 per cent more than the
capitalists But, although the latter get dimin-
ishcd proportion, the increased efficiency OF labor
and capital has made the crop much greater that
this diminished proportion yields an amount, not
only absolutely greater but greater relatively to the
increased population. This is readily shown by
few figures, dcduced from the tables OF NJ Jonnes.
Taking for comparison the t~o extremes, We ana
the following results
Total Agricultural tural labOrefs
i7oo.......- 70 800 OO0 Is 900 900 4sS 600 o0j
lSio..---.. .SG000 tO 2700O,cOo 3.oi6,oO0O0 0
Total product msulderOfp opulaton
francs Francs
oo.................. sos. 100000 S5O,CooOoo
lao---..-..--.-.....-3, o23,0O0 0c0 1908 600 o0J
From this 1t appears that 10. wiihS, andiag the
laborefS are SO much better psid-three and two
thirds times more than In lsO0-(Or rather because
they are much better PAID the remainder, LEFT TO
be divided among the capitalists and ncn-agcultura
classes, Is larger than before and they fare better
also. The entire population Of France lacks three
millions Of having doubled, while the crop has nearly
QuadIupled So, that equal distribution, there
Is twice as much for each mouth now, as III 100
But looking 10 the actual distribution now, and them
We see that while the non agricultural population
has increased Toe per cent, the surplus lsf after
paying the agricultural la5oxers their inogo - 4
wages and enlarged proportion, has increased l2'
per cent This Is the stale oi the ease the compari
son being mace IN money. II II IS desired 70 est
mate II II food We have the necessary elements Of
calculation when We know that the mean price Of
he at at the FIRST epoch, Is francs IS confines
per hectoltTe, while al the latter II Was 10 francs
Centimes.
II these facts prove anything, it Is that misesa.
lie a. Is the condition of the laboring classes in
France a, the prosen; day, Il is better than Tor
merry, aad Is n the way o! improvement They
prove too, thar the Increase of wealth is always
attended by nearer and nearer approximation
10 equality N is allotmeu; among those by and
for whom II has been produced thus the ten.
dcncy Of industry and useful iny cntioa Is not u
build up here and there 4 gigantic fortune. BAT
10 render The masses independent The French
pesSan. Is now better fed. clothed and lodged
than he was fifty years since, and IS less under
the control Of his landlord OF employer, and more
his own master. He has participated in the
great movement Of social progress. and though
long and weary distance is YET before hin. it IS
something 10 DC assured that he Is upon the road.
ana mat his advance, though slow, has been
steady. is something too, to have demonslTa.
tee 10y facts extending through SO long period
that even AMID dire political convslsions and
wars, AMI under such bad governments as have
prevailed m France, the elevation of the work
ing classes mas constantly gone forward and Is
gong forward still.