Evening star., 1886-09-04

Parisians and Their Mont de Piete, the
Aunt Of the FrenchnAn-HoW the
Business tD Managed.

F0ft010m9 ana Their Mont de R1Ote, tDe
Aunt Of the Frenchnan-HoW the
Business is Managed.
From the Pail Mall Gazette.
In the center Of abusy eommefeiAl quarter OF
Paris-in the Rue des Blancs Nanteaux-is
large f1ve-story building with its windows
securely barred and wired, as II something
precious was contained within, With the ever
prominent words "Liberty, Equality, Frater-
nifty" carved on its walls, and over the door
way Of which, just under the tricolor, may be
read in large gold lettering "Monl de Ptete."
Several republican guards walk about the two
large courts within. and there are other signs
OF odicialism, and that the building in ques-
ton is national property. 1t is Indeed, the
headquarters of the national pswnshop. With
affairs leads him TO temporarily get rid of some
OF his personal property, he ehphonisticaly
tells his friends that he has been to his
visits his "aunt," whose real name throughout
France is the Mont de Pete. There are no
ton such as have become connected with some
establishments conducted by pious Israelites.
a Frenchman will not slink away sneakingiy
10 his aunt" but, when necessity requires 1t,
will visit her fearlessly and openly as he would
1!i Inc EScompte de Paris or the Credit Lyonnals
III Inc a Mont de Pete is indeed bank, without
capital and without dividend.
From the budget OF the Paris institution for
1877, which the director, NJ. Edmond Duval,
council an idea may T be ] obtained @ of 81 the amount
OF business done at this bank of piety. The es-
tlmated income is put at 90, 319, $40 francs
posed to do little more than balance, the expen-
aiture Is placed at several thousand pounds
less decrease in the business done during
the year Is attributed to the fact that many
people of all professions have been compelled
TO leave the city owing to the depression Of
piete there are twenty auxiliary bureaus
throughout the town; aud it is perhaps about
the only institution in Paris whicn is open all
director of the concern Is appointed By the
minister OF the interior, aud the admins
the ssne as
interest on the articles pledged. This charge
Is unquestlonably high, but the expenses 1t has
shops the percentage charged sometimes
reaches fifty per cent. The administration Of
the Mont de Piete contemplate reducing their
rate; The money thus acquired goes ~ pay
AL the expenses Of management, the erection
and maintenance OF buildings, &c. AT the end
OF year or fifteen months, II the pledger does
not respond to u communicable he receives
from the Mont and renew his pledge or take out
his property, it is sold. Within the general ad-
army OF officials called the "commissaires
priseurs," who value The property pledged.
During last year there were 1868 sales OF un-
ciaiiued property, which reAllzea 245,967
lrancS The cOnmissaires priseurs look alter
THESE sales, and tneir charge IL tive per cent.
The director complains that the charges of
these commissuires are excessive, anG threat
ems REFORM. should the property sold bring
more tnan it Was originally valued Ut, Lhe
through depreciation OF value. Articles may
be renewed ad inhnitum. AT the immense
storehouse in the Rue des Blancs there
are articles that have been renewed for
over iorty years. One anLiQuated umbrella
has been there since 1928, during which time
its value has been paid 1our hVe times over
In interest. AS y different colored ticket is
given each time pledge is renewed, Ltle uln-
Drella has long since exhausted ali tue colors of
ticket was presented IOr renewal, the Mont de
PleIe made present Ol the venerable pdrdaotuie
to the proprietor. After all the ex peusss OF the
Mont de flete have been met, tue balance if
any, goes 10 the public assistanoe-the relief OF
the poor. There are between lOrty aud fittv
MOnls de PieLe in France, aud all are managed
on the same principle, and are under the care
of the municipal councils. The Paris house
wish 10 have u capital fund, but the govern
ment Will not allow II. The town OF Lille is the
only town wnicn mas q fund, (Lhe result Of pri.
vate donations) for its paWnshop. and Charges
no interest lor articles less than thirty francs
value. Outside the national ius ilu ton pa Wn.
broking IL prohibited In France. A man was
recently caught who carried On success. ul
business by buying up pawn tickets, aud he
Will In due course De punished.
The pawnshOp is an ancient institution. As
ea ly as 1888 one was established in Liege, In
the year 1462 several establishments called
MOnLI I'll PIeLa were Started in Itaiy, under the
cai 9 aud protection oil the church, III opposition
to the u,ury practices of the Jews, who even at
that remote period seem 10 nave embarked in
the old clothes and mOney-iendiug business
All the early MOnts de Piele were connected
with churches or hospitals, and were u species
OF charitable banks winch charged no interest.
In 1889 tue LOmbards began to run pawnshops
in opposition to the Jews III Lombardy and in
Hoiiand; 10 out from M a. the presenee Of the Jew and
seem that tue two had anaigamated at some
period in their history. The Mont de Piete was
long OF being established i'll France, chiefly
owing to the opposition OF NJ. de Ii Reynie,
ch lei of the police in Paris. Numerous projects
were put forward during the sixteenth ana sew.
enteeuth centuries, but they Iell through b.,
though Colbert and other prominent statesmen
declared that 1t would be tO the "giory OF
God, the service of the state and the publ G
Interest," were Monts de Piete established.
Necker took the same view, and protested
against the conduct ot avaricious Jews and
Others who practiced on the cupidity OF the pub
lie and successfully heeced tnein. 1t was not
until December, 1777, that Louis XIV. sane.
| tioned the Mont de fiste. Soon after this the
first was opened at Paris. II was under the
charge OF the Chief OF police and four admins.
traitors OF the general hospital. The rate of
interest charged was 312 aud Az per ceuI The
concern was II tremendous success In the year
1888 there were 5Ou,OOO different articles
pawned. At the time of the revolution the
Mont de Piete Was suppressed on the ground
that 1t was a monopoly, and Immediately the
Jews and the LON bards stepped iu and carried
Oh a hOurishln9 business The republic cOnsid-
ering the cOnultiOn of things "inLOlerabie." re-
established the Mont de Pete alter five years,
and, with siight changes now and then in the
administrator 1T has continued ever since with
increasing SUCCESS There are, however, oppu.
nents to tue system, and those who alege that
II Is u mont sans piete. But Al. Edmond Duval,
In work whlcn be is preparing giving the
whole history anu administration vi The insti-
tuition, says that the annual results Ot the Mont
dc Piete show That the establishment has be-
come Indispensable To the population OF Paris
who are too intelligent to pay any heed to the
reprOaches of u,ury Ieveed against it, Doubt
less, ue adds, some alterations are necessary in
the admlnlstratlon, Dut no one can deny that