The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-27
FRANCES DEBT ENORMOUS.
But lie Doesn't Hurt So Bad Because
Owed to Frenchmen.

Paris Letter in Washington City STAR
Whether the financiering of the French
government and the city OF Paris De al
mirable or not, il works, il is practical. it
has the virtue Of taking the bull by the
horns The national government and the
city divide the right of maintaining, for
the glory of the patrie and the beauty or
its capital, its one and only city They
do not seek to disguise the process.
The tourist, even in his first sightseeing
week. feels pressing on his shoulders the
hand OF the tax collector. II is not so
much the customs examination at the
frontier. although that is fairy searching.
The feeling that the authorities are after
your pocketbook comes rather through
series Of petty annoyances and half pleas
ing. half displeasing curiosties when you
are once inside the country. Your hotel
bill comes to you receipted and stamped.
You cash a check or draft with banker.
"Will you please write your name again,
here, across the revenue stamp? why
are they so careful about the humps OF
sugar in the restaurants and cafes? There
is a special tax upon the sweet commodi-
ty And why do they always give you
sulphur matches? Because matches are
dear, being manufactured only by the gov
eminent.
Do You desire TO play q game of cards?
You may. for nothing, in the brasserie
where YOU take your evening beer The
waiter DFlnSS YOU lHe CdluS- Dbl tAeN
are dirty. Bring US a clean pack Then
you will have to buy them, and the cheap
est kind costs 80 cents. There is spe-
cial tax ranging from Is to 20 cents pack.
but the manufacture Of all playing cards
is under rigorous state supervisor, as 70
quality. colors and designs, the latter with
an idea as To possible political disturb
ances. Billiard tables are taxed. doors and
windows are taxed. bicycles are taxed. and
as for cigars and tobscco-but every tour
list has his experience with that state man
ufacture.
When the state leaves off then the city
begins, and you are taxed from early morn
till dewy eve. The city's chefest hold up
on the stranger is its .'octroi." a set of
high municipal, customs duties on all food.
drink and fuel. But the city shares with
the state in most of the little perquisites
already mentioned. in the profits of the ex-
elusive government pawn shops, the exclu-
sfve funeral service, the tax on theater
tickets, and the tax on dogs, even though
it were the dog of a tourist. or, so TO speak.
a tourist dog. These are the taxes which
the tourist feels. But the native. the cit
izen of Paris, could tell him, there are
others"
Taxes in France are called ''contribu-
tons" and they are "a direct and CD in
direct. The latter are by far the greater.
reaching the average sum of 2,495. 900 600
Of francs yearly, against the direct
taxes of $50. 900. 900 of francs
The public debt of France Is by far the
greatest in the world. Here is a nation
with only IS, 900. 600 of Inhabitants with a
debt Of over So, 600, 600, 900 of francs. Rus
STA has four times as many inhabitants and
not half the debt. The United States Of
America has 81 0oo,0 900 OF inhabitants and
not 1900 600, 600 of francs of debt. And yet
the French people have just taken up a
Russian loan that no one else would have
and may he soon lending millions to our
own precious government. The secret is
that while France a state, is more
heavily indebted than any other in the
world her people. as a population are the
richest. the English only excepted. And
the distribution of this wealth is infinitely
more equal in France than in the British
isles. The country long ago achieved for
itself the enviable name OF pays de pet
its renters" the land Of little capitalists.
The French have a gigantic debt-but they
owe Il to themselves: il is not borrowed
abroad; IL is held at home. In France
you see the apothesis of the popular loan.