New-York tribune., 1876-02-14
.N1TTONAL LESSONS.

Here are few glinpses into the condition
of domestic life in Europe, Oiieied by laS'
| months publications, which ought 10 DC oi
| neculiar interest to Americans. Herr Ochei-
| hanser. an authority on German finance ana
manufactures. has published a pamphlet on
the present Industrial Crisis in Germany, In
which he states that the cause OF the crisis is
the excessive development of manufactures on
a credit basis. " The present generation OF
workmen,r he declares, "have been de-
" moralized by the large and sudden increase
"of wages. Of the hundreds OF millions
which have thus been paid them, but very
small portion has been placed In savings
banks or other prudential investments. lt
has been spent as carclessly as it was earned"
The workmen, their heads completely turned,
steadily demanded more wages and less work
until the reaction came and as Ochciha'iser
states, Germany il learning again her old les
son of economy taught by severe and salutary
experience.
NJ. Aurclian Scholl, on the other hand, gives
ia a sketch of the domestic condition OF Paris
during this Winter-a more forlOrn and dis
n, artening interior even than the other.
"Evcrything," he states, sis sacrificed to de-
loves decoration rather than solid substance"
Nowhere. in his opinion, Is there such inces-
sant talk of political liberty and so little per-
sonal independence. There il this Winter no
rank in Paris the only grade is that between
the rich and poor. Most of the young men are
idle, looking ont for n wealthy marriage or
municipal Office the tai orr says NJ. Scholl,
" is their chief support; the man abandoned
" by that tradesman may az well tie mill
" stone about his neck and throw himself into
" the Seine Paris swarms with the drones
who live by borrowing or the more obnoxious
creature who lives by his wits. From this love
of sham display. greed of money and antlp-
,tb, to work. have come terrible results. At
Autcuil. Iyry, and Batignolcs there are
200. 900 men waiting for place. he other
day at the Office of the Tramway Company,
for four vacancies there were ! 500 applicants.
The dolcfully monoonous tale repeats Itself
from England. Paupcrism III 11oJ cost the
public 60. 100000 per annum. and early III
the present century the cost was doubled.
This sudden increase could readily he traced
to 1.-The sudden influx of luxury consequent on
"thc increase of private wealth : luxury
which corrupted the habits of every grade of
live upon barley bread. milk, and cheese were
seen with silver buckles. and broadcoth on
"thcir backs. but not one penny III the savings
bank" The increase Oi pauperlSn III England
has been steady since that date, keeping pace
with the love of show in the middle and work
ing classes.
There have been many solutions of our own
monetary depression, but one given by II
shrrgd working woman at It's beginning struck
perhaps very near the root of the evil. Rich
people know why they lose their riches she
said. "but what ailS the poor Is fringe and
" feathers. Twenty years ago carpenters ;
wife like me wore n calico ut her work and
{" put on a decent sUn-honnct to 20 to market.
" Every dollar she saved went to buy II home
" for her children or into the savings bank.
" Now she keeps servant and calls III
seazv silk and fcaihcrcd hat to leave her
orders at The groccr's. There's no money at
" the end of the year to buy n house or even
" pay the groccr's bill. Feathers and fringe
have done the work, ! suspect, with others
" than the carpenters wiie.'
In spite Of the stress laid upon every class
TWO years ago, and of the economy which be-
came for short season tho fashion, the present
Winter gives little sign of any retrcnchment
capablc of la ting effect We all had spurt
of saving. aud III are falling back into the
easy swing of spcndthrift folly. Where the
current will take uS ii is not hard 10 forosee.