The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-07-26

COACerHS 1CSel1 With small things, it will
be understood why the ministry is so
often Overthrown.
There are two tendencies noticeable in
France nOw--one is the movement in the
! direction of state socialism; the other is
the movement toward the solution of the
labor question by cooperation and profit
sharing.
The advocates of state socialism are
now proposing a scheme providing for
the payment of pensions to all working
people who shall have toiled certain
number of years. If this project is en-
acted into law, it will betome an enor-
nous burden, for one-third of the pen
sion fund in each case is to be contributed
by the state and one-third by the en-
ployer and one-third by the workman.
The idea of civil pensions is firmly
rooted in the French mind. Many of
the large corporations give small pen
sion to all of their employees after GER
tain number Of years. This is particu-
larly true of railways and mining cor
pOrations
The real solution of the labor problem,
it seems to me, and the only one which
will not destroy industrial effort and am
bition, is to be found in the adoption of
the cooperative and profit sharing prin-
ciples.
An eminent senator in France, who has
for many years been a close observer of
social conditions and changes, said to me
recently:
'There is very considerable degree
OF restlessness in the world of labor.
Socialism of a revolutionary character is
being preached in every commune; the
workman feels that he is not fairly treat
ed and after time lends a willing ear to
the dulcet voice of the professional agi-
tator. The government gives the work
man his own way and often deals too
gently with him for his own good or that
of society.
''But am not discouraged. do not
think we shall have violent social rev.
olution, but I look for peaceful evolu-
tlon, gradual and sure, into a more Just
and more satisfactory condition. The
most promising issue from our difficult
ties is offered by general resort of profit
sharing. l am convinced that profit
sharing and cooperation are the twin
stars of hope in the social horizon"
In nearly OOindustrial establishments
in France profit sharing is in practical
operation and with satisfactory results.
In the past 40 years the condition of the
working classes in France has undergone
great and radical Improvement. Between
1879 and 1C0S thoro xr,oc a., ox,o.,,.o =.
crease of 81 per cent in the wages paid
to working people, but the starting point
for the comparison in 1858 was very low.
St. Etienne, where have lived for three
years, is a great industrial center; it is
the Pittsburg of France. There are many
industries here, the leading ones being
iron, coal and the manufacture of fire.
arms and ribbons. In spite of official
statistics, am able to state that skilled
workman here earns on an average less
than $500 year. In round figures 1900
francs is what an expert weaver, owning
his own loom and furnishing his own
power, earns.
Unskilled labor is paid by the munich
pality 58 cents day. How can a man
support wife and three children when
his total earnings for the year, assuming
that he labors 300 days, amount to STA?
This is reality thousands of men have
to face in France and in Europe The
fact that socialism is spreading indicates
that the spirit of discomfort is growing
among the working class.
When one considers that in popula-
ton of 38,0O0,000 the number of persons
engaged in agriculture, commerce and
other industries exceeds 10000, 900 and
that there are no more than $500, 900 of
independent means, it is perhaps easy to
see how the majority may get the i'm
preston that it is oppressed by very
small minority.
The revolutionary and socialistic tend
encies in France are of course danger,
but not as yet a grave one. The power
of the socialists is not proportionate to
the noise they make, and the weight of
the conservative forces must be taken
into account
AS yet no very large number of farm
ers or farm laborers have gone into the
labor unions. The farmer is as a rule
unfriendly to social agitators. He has
little to gain in listening to them. If the
French farmer is as sturdy in his con-
servatism as he is supposed to be, his in
fuence will be potent one, for the ag-
ricultural lands of France are divided
into $4,000, 900 allotments, and the num-
Der of persons engaged in tilling them is
17,698, 400, or nearly half the population
of the country.
There is another powerful barrier to
the advance of the socialistic ideas, and
that is the widespread and substantial
solvency Of the French people-a solven-
cy due to the general thrift of a univer-
sal genius for economy.
There are in France more than $780,
600 depositors in the savings banks, the
boarding Of the lower, middle and work
ing classes. No effort is spared by the
government to develop this source of
thrift, and among many excellent meas
ures adopted to encourage it may be
cited the practice of rewarding efficiency
and diligence in the schools by crediting