The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1877-01-20
WONDERFUL ACHIEVEMENT.


,,, graucC ms Acconipii he'd sinrl
,ra Frussian War.
,ttue meeting Of the Socialist
.ra, Congress in Liverpool on th
I'm uld MIR Shaw Leftover, NJ p.
,.iorrcd an address, in the course
S,ybicb he said, ~ cannot avoid
rr,'markiug on one of the most OK,
,r,ordiuury economic facts Of mod
err times, namely, the revival OF
g,opce from the misiorluncs and
io.srs ontailed upon her with her
,c,or with Germany. Never did a
r,untry appear to be moro hope.
lc..y crushed by the weight OF its
Losses and by the large indemnity
imnos,d upon it by the victors. Yet
.Ir Inns born her burden with hero
ism and has emerged from her bur
Jrns with an elasticity which has
ynrnrised Europe. The contrast
hr,w,en France and Germany at
,bis moment is most remarkable,
Tbe defeated, Illuminated and plum
dcrcd country is, appearentIy,ucher
,bgn ever. The victorious country,
the Paws dc MiIlardS,' the reciienLs
of the indemnity, appears to 1e not
onDy none the richer, but absolutely
ronrgr for the transaction. Tie
to,crish excitement caused by the
influx of SO much wealth has now
rycn place to II reaction in which
iii commercial transactions invoIv-
ed. general gloom and distress per.
yodcs the country, is recent comic
miner, published ut Berlin, it was
suGgested as II remedy for the gen
eraI distress in Germany should
amin declare war against France,
that it should again march its armies
TO Paris, agaiu defeat those Of France,
but in making peace, in lev Of i'm
posing an indemnity of 2OO,O 100000
on Srancc, it should agree to pay
that amount to the conquered.
TChccrs and laughter, By that
means alone, it was humorously sug-
gested, would Germany secure to
itself the prosperity which France
was enjoying, What, then, is the
economic explanation of this great
difference in the condition Of the two
countries? Why is it that the loss
or two milliards has not made the
one country poorer or the gain not
made the other country richer? Is
not the explanation to be found in
this, that the trur and only source
Of wealth is production and saving?
The French people are the most in
dnstrious and saving that the world
contains. In no other country is
wealth. so wildly distributed. In
none are the habits OF indnstro,
and Thrift more universally
exercised. After the war these peo-
pIc, from the highest to the lowest,
met their losses by even greater in
dastry and greater economist than
ever. Now, when they have relrlv'
ed their losses and overcome tn II
difficulties, this habit is still contin'
ned, On the other hand, the influx
Of many to Germany led o a gen
craI expansion, not only of trade
but Of habits of living. Luxury
all kinds increased. Foolhardo,
multiple" Unpro'
ductivc employment was stimulated
In the subsequent collapse the poo.
nile AS a whole have lost more than
they gain by TIL indemnify, while
it is no easy task to divert so much
labor into its old chan
n nj, V eff production; The great re,
Operative power shown by France
has again turned the attention OF
economists to her social condition
at is it that constitutes her
strength? What is it that creates
this universal habit of thrift and in
dustry 1t cannot think, be doubt
ed that the answer is to be found IN
the wide distribution OF property
which is so distinguishing leaIu
of the French system. Upward OF
seycnmilons are owners oiagrlcuI
turaI land. Upward of four millions
of persons own between them the
public debt of France The passion
for land has not only created ilVe
of peasant ProprIetors' ,Eo
most industrious and thrifty people
in the world, but it has 81 reau
through the whole population IRON ron
the highest to the lowest, inc iee',
ing Of individual ownership, inc
the desire to become independents
and the habit of thrift and saving
which enables them to become So