New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-11
What France Has Accomplished Since ths
PrussiaD War.

At the meeting of the Social Science Con-
gress in Liverpool on the seve nteenth ulti-
mo, Mr.. Shaw Lefevre, NJ. p, delivered an
address, in the course of which he said:
l can not avoid remsrking on one Of the
most extraordinary economic facts of mod
ern times, namely: Tue revival of France
from the misfortunes and l,sses eniailed
upon her by her war with Germany. Never
did q couu try appear to be more hope lsssly
crushed by the weight of it's losses and by
the large indemnity imposed upon it by the
victors. Yet she has borne her burden
with herOsm. and has emerged from her
difficulties with an elasticity which has
surprised Europe. The contrast between
France and Germany at this moment is
lated and plundered county il apparently
richer than ever. The victorious country,
the "Pays de Millards," the recipients OF
the indemnity, appears to be not only none
the richer, but absolutely the poorer for the
transaction. The feverish excitement caused
by the influx OF so much wealth has now
given place to q reaction In which all com
mercial transactions are involved; general
gloom and distress pervades the country.
In Q recent comic paper published at B-r-
lin, it was suggested as q remedy for the
general distress in G-rmany, rs compared
with France, that Germany should again
declare war against France, that it should
again march It's armies to Paris, again de-
feat those of France, but in making peace,
in lieu of imposing an Indemnity of 2OO.-
O0O, 900 ON France it should agree 70 pay
that amount to the conquered. Cheers
and laughterl BY that msans alone, it
was humOrously suggested, would Germany
secure to itself the prosperity which France
was enjoying. What, then, 10 the economic
expl anation Of this great difference in the
condition of the two countriesY Why
is it that the loss of two millisrds has not
made the ono country poorer or the gain
not made the other country richeIs Is not
the explanation to be found in this, that
the true and only source of wealth is pro
duction and savinaf The French people
are the most industrious and saving that
the world contains. In no other country ts
wealth 80 widely distributed. In none are
the habits of industry, economy and thrift
more universally exercised. After the war
these people. from the highest to the low.
est, met their losses by even greater indus.
try and greater economies than ever. Now,
when they have retire we'd their losses and
overcome their difficulties, this habit 10 still
continued. On tho other hand, the influx
of money to Germany led to a general ex-
pansion, not only Of trade, hut Of the
habits Of living. Luxury of all kinds 10.
creased. FOolhardy specuiatiOns. multi
piled. Unproductive employment was
stimulated. In tho 0uoeequent COIlape0
the people as q whole have lost more
than they gained by the indemnity.
while it is NO easy task to divert 60 much
unproductive labor into it's old channels of
production. The great recuperative power
shown BY France has again turned the et-
tentiOn Of economists to her social condi-
ton. What is it that constitutes her
strength What is it that creates this uni
versal habit of thrift and industry /. csn
not, think, be doubted that the answer is
to be found in the wide distribution of prop.
erty which is go distinguishing q feature of
the French system. Upwards of 7,OOO,-
900 of persons own properly in land or
housee, and of these 5 500, 600 are owners Of
agricultural land. Upward of 100000
Of persons own between them the putl'c
debt of France. The passion for land has
not only created 5000 900 of peasant pro
prietors, the most industrious and thrifty
people in the world, but it has spread
through the whole population. from the
highest to the lowest, the feeling OF indi-
vidual ownership, the desire to become
independent, and the habit of thrift and
saving which enables them to become 60.