The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-07-01
Prench and american ECONOMY.

In one particular the French people pre-
sent to us an example for study, admiration
and imitation. Their tempestuous DISPOSE
tons about government, their impetuosity,
fekleness and horrible recklessness when
they get started on revolution, ALI these and
many other national traits are, in the sight
of practical Americans, subjects of derision
and almost Of contempt. Incapable OF re-
publican self-government, they are ready to
lsunch upon a sea Of anarchy at any me.
ment under the name of liberty. Hero wor-
shippers of the extreme order, the French
are ready at C breath to dash in pieces
eheir most cherished idols, proud
to the hight Of vanity OF their country,
they would not hesitate ar instant to i'm
peril everything for the glittering bauble of
military glory. Irreverent, lax in morals
and the very embodiment of levity, looking
anthem from one point of view, the French
present little to command admiration or to
inspire respect. But there is another side TO
French character, both individual and ma
tional, which tells of solidity,
tboughtfulness and purpose. That
is the economical side. They know how to
take care of money, what to do
with it, and, excepting the qualification of
military vanity, how to get the most enjoy
ment out of it. 'Prhaps there should be no
exception, for as costly as war is, the price
is cheeriully paid If it brings glory. France
does not tride with her treasury. What
lesson for the United Statesl Among all her
conspirators for revolution, for personal Sc
premacy, her pubic men do not think of
plumber. She has no Tweeds, no Shepherds,
no Delanos. The government finance
and the government credit are not
complicated in any of her
turmoils. The world has wit
messed with amazeaent the gallantry and
grace with which she has tossed from her
shoulders the burden of the German inden-
nifty. When the money was agreed to be
paid, It looked like disabling incum-
beranee, which would fetter the ambition and
ability of the nation for generation. But
il is paid, and the credit the financial pres
tige, OF France Is ,unshaken in the least. The
total annual expenditure of the government,
as lately reported by M. Leon Say, is 1885,
100000, yet it pays from $4,000
600 to s45,OOO,O0O of the principal
OF the pCblic debt annually. Theacurrency
of France is all one thing in vaile. She
does not sell for an eighty cent dollar and
buy for hundred cent dollar. She does
not hold over her merchants and capitalists
the constant menace of disaster through a
failure or fuctuation of the currency. All
Ter business from the highest transactions
OF the state down to the hum6lest opera
tisns of the street merchant is done on the
safe principle of slow but certain profits.
Instead of great risks for posi-
bly, sudden fortunes, the law of
heakhy growth by thrift, indus
try and saving is relied for the cresEion and
OF wealth. While the finan-
cial prosperity of France may be attributed
to the application of business principles
every wkere, yet the firm foundation on
which the whole system rests may doubtless
be traced to the habit of personal economy |
which lis 80 marvellously illustrated in
private aud domestic life. Everything is
saved, and instead of its being condition
Of responsibility that q man expend |
lavishiy for his daily living, without
regard to the amount of his income, it is I'M
derstood to be nobody's business how little
be spends for subsistence, provided he
wears the cloth and manners of gentle
man in society. Esre is the rock on which
American economy Is wrecked. To be re-
spectacle you must pay out large sums, no
matter how little are your resources, nor
how trifiing the value obtained in return.
Pay out, pay out, expend every cent you
have got. Don't stop there, get credit, run in
iebt, wear borrowed gold, but don't fail to
mime or to display expensive living. i