Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-03-15
UATIONALu.Hs.ONs.

Herc are FEW gl1mpses into the
conditioner domestic life in Europe
offered by last months publications,
which ought to be of peculiar interest
to Americans. Herr Ochclhauscr, an
authority on German finance and
manufactures, has published n pam.
phlet on the present "Industrial
Crisis in Germany" in which he
states that the cause of the crisis is
the excessive development of manu-
features on q credit basis. ."The
present generation OF workmen." he
declares shave been demoralized by
the large and sudden increase of
wages. OF the hundreds of millions
which have thus been paid them, but
a very small portion has been placed
in savings banks or other prudential in
vestments. 1t has been spent rs care
lessly as it was earned" The work
men, their heads completely turned,
steadily demanded more wages and
less work until the reaction came
and as Ochelhauser states, Germany
is learning again her old lesson OF
economy taught by severe and saln-
tary experience.
NJ. Aurelian Scholl, on the other
hand, gives ms sketch of the domes-
tic condition of Paris during this
Winters more forlorn and disheart-
ening interior even than the other.
"Eyerything," he states, sis sacrificed
to deceive the eye; even the radical
Republican loves decoration rather
than solid substance" Nowhere, in
his opinion, is there such incessant
talk of political liberty and so little
independence. There is this Winter
no rank in Paris; the only grade is
that between the rich and the poor
Most Of the young men are idle.
looking out for wealthy marriage
or municipal Office; ''the tailor
says NJ. Scholl, sis their chief sup
port; the man abandoned by that
tradesman may ms well tic a milestone
around his neck and throw himself
into the Seine Paris swarms with
the drones who live by borrowing, OF
the more obnoxious creature who
lives by his wits. From this love oil
sham display. greed of money and
antipathy to work, have come fer
rible results. At Autenil, Ivry and
Fatignolles there are 100000 men
waiting for place. The other day
at the office ofthe Tramway Company
for four vacancies there were l.SOC
applicants.
The dolefully monotOnous tale re.
peats itself from England. "Pauper-
ism in 1875 cost f2,OOOOOO per an.
mum, and early in the present century
the cost was doubled" This sudden
increase could readily be traced to
"the sudden influx of luxury conse-
quent on the increase of private
wealth y luxury which corrupted the
habits of every grade of society. Day
laborers who had been used to live
upon barley bread, milk and cheese
were "seen with silver buckles. and
broadcloth on their backs, but not
one penny in the savings bank" The
increase of pauperism in England has
been steady since that date. keeping
peace with the love of show in the
middle and working classes.
There have been many solutions OF
our own monetary depression, but
one given by a shrewd working wo.
man at its beginning struck perhaps
very near the root of the evil. erich
people know why they lose theil
riches" she said, ''but what ails the
poor is fringe and feathers. Twenty
years ago, a carpenters wife, like me
wore calico at her work, and put OH
decent sun bonnet TO go to market
Every dollar she saved went TO buy a
home for her children or into the
savings hank. Now she keeps ser.
want and calls in slazy silk and
feathered hat to leave her orders al
, the grocer's. There's no money al
the end of the year to buy house, OF
even pay the grocer's bill. Feathers
and fringe have done the work,
suspect with others than the carpen-
ter's wife,
In spite of the stress laid upon
every class two years ago. and Of the
economy which became fora short
season the fashion, the present winter
gives little sign of any retrenchment
capable Of lasting effect. We all had
squirt Of saving, and all are falling
back into the easy swing of spend.
thrift folly. Where the current will
| take us ii is not hard to foresee.--Neu
York Tribune.