Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-01-26
POVERTY OF PARIS.
SOMBER SIDE OF LIFE IN THE
FRENCH CAPITAL.


Hundred and Forty Thousand People
Enrolled for Public Charity-List of
Paupers of Foreign Birth.
Who has not in his minds eve linked the
name Paris with gayety and pleasure! Who
has not conceived Paris vast haven where
the cares of earth are cast aside where mis-
cry and misfortune are unknown, where
human enjoyment has reached it's climax,
and where fountains of pure silver have
an unceasing flow. The casual tourist
finds no contradiction in this roseate ideal,
for Paris in itself is world whose varie-
gated social strata present separate studies
which could be profitably pursued for life
time. The French have the happy faculty
OF presenting the bright side of everything,
while their proverbial good manners add an
additional luster which is well calculated to
satisfy the ordinary mind.
But Paris without riches and poverty, vice
and virtue, happiness and misery, would, in
deed, be a strange anomaly of human asso-
citation. 1t is true we get a CLEAN of certain
phases of Partisan life from the Confession
of Claud, " 81 LAssomoir' or Camille" yet
it is hard to believe that such degree of de-
pravlty has a secure footing in the French
capital. The facts have not been overdrawn,
however, the only dispute being the extent
to which vice has obtained.
THE CENSUS OF INDIGENCY.
AS to the existent indigency more rational
data can be obtained. Every three years
census is taken of the population enrolled at
the beneficence offices of the twenty districts
into which Paris is divided. The object of
ia iS EirCt hU IN
tained the names of all persons who are en-
titled to public aid; second, close study is
made of their true situation with view to
rendering as many as possible self sustaining.
According to the previous register there
were enrolled for public charity 81 ,SS1 heads
of families, representing lac, ,5S5 persons. The
board of visitors have eliminated 1900 heads
of families, representing II 600, leaving regis
tered at present Al ,627 heads of families or
123 324 persons. Comparing this result with
that of 1880 we find the number of heads of
families has increased by S12, while the in
dividuals comprised have diminished by All.
Each dependent domestic group is therefore
relatively less numerous, while the individual
applicants have sensibly increased. In 1880
Paris had 1895, COG inhabitants and 123, ,735
indigents, or 6.22 per cent. To-day the popu-
dependent on public charity.
In all the districts the number of assisted
women is far greater than that of the men.
For every "a males enrolled there are Al fe-
males. This is easily explained on the
grounds that the labor of women is less re-
munerative, and they have less repugnance
in recurring to the public charities.
PAUPERs OF FOREIGN BIRTH. 1
The native Parisians are by no means the
majority of those whose names are on the
dependent rolls. For every 1000, Paris and
its Department of the Seine furnishes 227;
the provinces, 706; foreign, g. Taking 900
names of those of foreign birth, the Germans
lead with 407; Belgians, $50; Dutch, 172;
Italians, So; English, 10; Spaniards, 3:
Americans and Turks, 0. 1t will be observed
that Germany furnishes by far the larger
number of Partisan paupers of foreign birth.
This is explained by the fact that the Ger
mans are the most migratory of all people,
and in search of the daily bread" have in
vaded the world.
In general the German emigrant is model
of industry, economy and of irreproachable
customs, and putting in practice the French
proverb that there are no senselesS occupa-
tions, there are only senseless people" have
undertaken almost every department of labor
and trade The Frenchman who enjoys in
his own country an easily won livelihood
and an excellent climate seldom crosses the
frontier, while the German, whose condi-
tions are less favorable, is found widely
scattered.
The lodgment Of the army of paupers in
Paris forms an interesting study. More than
fourth part live almost gratuitously, con-
fined in grots, caverns and cellars; one half
pay from 100 to 1000 francs rent per annum.
Sixty-one per cent. of these holes or novels
have only one bed; the rest have two, three,
four and even five apartments The inhabit-
ants of these rooms belong to all professions,
comprising thousands of the fruits secs of art
in all its manifestations and forms.-San
Francisco Chronicle.