New-York tribune., 1870-11-29
THE DISCIPLINE OF PARIS.

There may be, after all, silver lining to
the cloud which hangs over Paris. The life
of this beautiful city has been for eighteen
years one Of the most singular examples ever
seen of an unbrOken tide of material success
1t has increased vastly In extent, in riches,
in population, and in every department OF
luxury and art there has been an Improvement
without parallel in recent times. 1t has been
fashionable for those tourists who imagine
that with the aid of their Fetridge and their
courier they have mastered all the social and
political problems of Europe, to build upon this
fact theory of the Omniscient wisdom and
sagacity of the Emperor. But in fact there
are two powers which, working together, have
made the modern Paris. One of these is the
railroad system of France, which has per-
formed there the marvels we are familiar with
in New-York and Chicago, and the other is
the genius Of Haussmann, the Prefect of the
Seine 1t is he who has combined and organ
lied the abundant resources which the recent
developments of trade in France placed in his
hands, and who has accomplished the practical
miracle Of tearing down and rebuilding, with
out a moments check or pause in its daily
life, city of two million inhabitants.
1t is true this success was only apparent and
superficial. The city which rose from the
ruins wrought by the hammer of the munich
pal king was a marvelOusly beautiful and har-
monious one. No vested rights, no historical
memories, were allowed to stand in the way OF
the despOtic Alsacian's passion for uniformity.
He grew at last well-nigh mOnOmaniac in this
respect, and pushed his fan-like system of
streets which diveIged from the Grand Opera
through costly blocks of stores and palaces
almost entirely new. OF course, such an ami
hilation of positive values could not but entail
disastrous consequences There was fac
titious compensation in the enhanced prices of
the new structures. But gradually, as a con-
sequence of this mad sacrifice of everything to
considerations of mere taste, the cost OF liv-
ing rose to an uncomfortable point, and the
whole labOring population was exiled to the
suburbs 1t was vicious circle from which
there seemed no escaping. The public works
attracted laborers, and made at the same time
wages higher and subsistence dearer. Taxes
rose like a rising tide and the necessity OF
employing the camorous bands of workmen
made it impossible to discontinue or retrench
expenses. All the magic of the Empire could
not lay the spirit it had raised.
With the enormous development given by
the Empire to reckless speculation came an IN
crease of luxury and extravagance which always
accompanies period of irregular gains, and
which was well described by the venerable
Dupin, in his startling speech in the Senate in
1865, on the luxury of women. Never in his
tory was seen such a splendor of toilets and
of equipages. Vice shared in the general
plenty, and the establishments of the leaders
of the half-world rivaled the palaces oi
princes. The dangerous example of the great
and powerful ran like wildilre among cor
rupt and languid youth. Who would choose
" live by honest official Or professional en-