The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-06-02
Alsrning Star snd Catholic Messenger.
HHW URLn aNr, SUNDAY. JUNE 2. Isrs,
FRANCE.
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION oE WEALTH AMONG
80 THE PEoPLE.

All travellers in France unite in repre-.
seBtipg the French people as great ecOno-
mists. With them not only does very
little money go a great way in supplying
their wants, but the Gums saved, even ous
of the elenderest incomes, represent a
handsome eurplus. In England there is
one mau in every Ave who spends all he
gets, but in France there is not one In forty
who spends his income; the other thirty
nine lay something by. Profession and
waste, which characterize the use OF the
means of living in Eogland, and more con-
spicuously atiil In the United States, are
auite unknown among the French people.
Of what nire families out of every ten
would here throw away, French family
would make q variety of sppetziDg dishes;
and it is literally true that the French men
and women would live, and live well, on
the mere waete of American families
These habits of economy enable the people
to lay up their little savings year by year,
and il is we'll known that the public funds
are the most favOrite means of investment
with the peasantry. The French rentes
can be bad in denomi minations Of 100 francs
$500 and upward, and have always been
highly popular with the masses. The prin-
ciple OF popularizing the loans of the Gov
srnment has worked admirably, and has
been borrowed to advantage in the issue of
gaitea States bonds, which are now to be
had in sams as low as $50.
Here is q fact which speaks volumes in
favor Of the French system of public laws.
So long ago as 1867 the debt OF France was
held by 033 6s3 persons, who averaged
s2 600 each. 1t is now still more widely
distributed. In Eogland, on the other
hand, her great public debt of 50 $50. .00O,-
900 is in the hands of only 126 33l persons,
thus averaging more than $50 coo to each
holder. 1t is, unfortunately, impossible to
ascertain how many persons hold the
pnblic debt of the United States, because
so large proportion of it is In the form Of
coupon bonds, (which pass from hand to
band without registration. In France all
the rentes are Inscribed in the name of the
holder on the books of the Treasury. To
have their names in the "Grand Livre" of
the public debt is an honor eagerly sought
after by the mass of the people.
During all the recent enormous drain
apon her resources, which has nearly
aonbled her national debt, there has not
ssen heard anywhere among the French
people the slightest hint of reputation.
TSe French look upon their public debt as
An obligation tacredly due [; and it is due
in the larger part to themselves.
Another striking feature in the prosperity
Of Prance, which aids in enabling her to
bear the extraordinary fscsl burdens i'm.
Posed upon her, lie the fact of the wide dis
Hibution of real estate among the citizens.
3tatietics establish the fact that there are
g, Goo 600 of houses in France, and the ma
jority Of them are homesteads belonging to
their tenants. Three fifths of the entire
population are Inhabitants of the rural
districts, while in England the proportion
IS only one fifth, four fifths being residents
Of towns.
Finally, one conspicuous element in that
national prosperity which has brought the
world to q wondering recognition of the
TAsa resources of France is the recent dew
elopment OF her commerce. Since 1855
the foreign commerce of France has been
considerably more than doubled. Her
mastery of the finer mechanical arts aud the
perfection to which processes OF manufac
GHTe have been carried are we'll known the
-TuTfd UvvT. Tho fTugHtTry of her PBUpte
a only uatched by their industry. The
5b2le world teens with her productive
ntss. French fabrics are found in almost
enlless profusiOn and variety 10 all the
markets of the globe. IL is this constantly
growing fertility of production, joined with
1he causes previously enumerated, which
has enabled the French people to bear with
arch marvellous ease burden which it
was almost universally predicted would
arush and overwLelm them.