The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-04-14
FRANCE.
The Indemnity Due to Germany-Thc Means
Of Payment.
until 1880.

The Paris correspondent of the Lon
don Economist writes: We know
nothing certain yet Of what the Govern
ment intends to do with respect to the
payment Of the indemnity to Germany.
1t is strongly urged from different quar-
ters to raise the whole amount at once,
at any cost and anyhow, so as to get the
invaders out of the country as quickly
as possible. The bankers and manufac-
turers of Lyons, among the latter Nj.
Aries Dutour, are particularly energetic
in making this recommendation and
the argument is, that as long as the ter
ritory is occupied, and as long as sue
cession of loans may be impending,
there will not exist that confidence
which is indispensable for commercial
operations. They add, too, that in the
parts Of Franco not invaded there is
mass Of money, the savings of preceding
years, and that the holders of it will
be more disposed to invest it while I'M
der the emotion produced by the disas-
ters of the country, than they will be in
a year or two. But there are people of
authority in financial matters who point
out that it wauld be unwise for France
to drain herself of all she has, when she
needs capital to repair losses and set her
industries going again and that by
little delay she would be able to raise
many millions francs by selling fo"-
ests, crown lands, palaces, ETC., and
might also, if she succeeds in establish
ing Government presenting chances of
stability. obtain greater assistance in
foreign markets than is for the moment
to be hoped for. Whether the decision
come to be for total payment at once or
for payment in installments, it is GER
tain that loan Of some kind must be
raised without any delay. One Of a
milliard (s40,000, O0O), or milliard and
half, appears to be generally considered
absolutely indispensable, and regard be-
ing had to existing circumstances and
the price OF the rentes at the Bourse, it
is thought that about six per cent. will
have to be offered for it. The expecta-
ton is that it will be offered for public
subscription, as loans were in the time
Of the Empire, but that the co-opera-
ton of the markets of London and Am
sterdam will be solicited. y X
There is nothing in the treaty of peace
to show that the FIVE miliiards eXacted
| by Prussia are TO be reduced by
the portion of national debt Of France
appertaining to Alsace and Lorraine, by
the value of the railways in those pro-
yinces which belong to private COM
pany, or by the amount of war contri-
buttons levied in different parts. Nei-
| thcr has the Government announced
that any deduction is to be made on
these scores, and the assumption is that
il could certainly not have maintained
silence on matters of such importance
if it had anything pleasant to commune
cate. 1t is even said that Count Bis
marck demanded seven mllliards with
deductions, and when NJ. Theirs pro-
tested against such an amount he
named and insisted on five without
abatement. But, in spite OF all this,
people find it difficult to believe that
when the definitve treaty of peace
comes to be settled, a deduction in ac.
cordance with established usage, and
with what was effected when Austria
coded Lombardy and Venetia to Italy,
will not be made for the debt, whatever
may be done with respect to the war
contributions. As regards the rail.
ways, the conviction is that the French
Government will not be left to indem-
Nifty the Eastern Company. TO have to
do so would be serious aggravation OF
the burden cast on it,