The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-08-18
Ole ddattpaan allo sollt5ton.
WEDNhsDAY AUGUST Is. 1897.
ALESSoN ! FOR AMERICANS FROM THE
- FRENCH PEOPLE.

ALEssoN FOR AMERICANS FROM THE
FRENCH PEOPLE.
Pans, Feb. 15.-The economy Of the
French as a nation is an old story, but
The reasons for this economy and its eff
4ects upon the character of the working
people may not be so we'll appreciated.
Ye6 these points are most interesting
subjects, and equally SO are some Of the
means which seem to exist for making
stheWerk go round in this oyercrowded
sciitty
The ecoAomy of both space and ma
teria1 strikes the observer upon all
sN3es In the Latin quarter, where the
indNiduality Of the working people is
hest seen. and where might be added IN
Passing the; American student is also
getting most needed education in this
most needed economy.
One most noticeable feature Of the
living here is that no provision seems
10 bs made for buying in quantities.
The French laborer lives from hand
omouth buys for each day the food
n1 that day and consumes it, and judg-
ingiIom what have been able to learn
finds himself no poorer in consequence
Nhy this IS possible is worth studying
onS, Eince buying in quantities is often
snggested as one of tie cures for power
~ with us But IN many homes here
She entrance of a barrel Of -four or box
*e butter would mean that the family
Malked out to make place foT it-Te-
spectacle homes, mean.
course this ability to rise above
scandihons which proves disastrous with
sus must be due to something besides the
tzictest economy. For one thing, there
does not seem to be the same difference
here IN the cost Of buying In large ana
small quantities as with us. And yet
the selling Of one or two eggs ata time,
sef q quarter IF a pound Of butter, a
pound OF flour, the quarter of chick
Of a slice of gingerbread or pie, a
couple of tablespoonfuls of custard,
muss greatly increase the Labor OF the
shnpkeeper. Bot this does not seem to
sach a matter for consideration here,
s lust as there does not seem to be the
sdispcsition to increase incomes by adul-
steTation Of commodities.
Ia fact, there are many indications
that the practice of the EXTREMIST econ
onny has not destroyed in the French la
boring class the disposition to live and
lef live. This may sound too ideal, but
sit IS not meant to imply superior char
acter only superior conditions which
do nos crowd out finer characteristics.
These cannot grow in the same atmos-
:phere with the instinct to detect the
aana1lest chance for overeaching some
competito-.
Z There certainly does seem marked
absence alnong the working people here
both Of this tseye for the main chance"
(which can be carried too far) and of
Ssnspicieusness Wares Of all descrip-
fi0ns stand outside the shops. and one
Gan pick up and examine at his lei
snre without the shopkeeper showing
/ any haste to come out and see what you
are about: On the banks of the Seine
are long rows Of stalls where are ex-
sposed books, music and uifies Of many
kinds, with the price of the contents OF
each stall marked above These articles
are not Of great value, except to the
salesman, to whom sou is as big as a
quarter to an American. Yet you can
staHd at one stall with the owner
square away, pick out what you want,
carry It 10 him and designate under
which price you found it to his COM
plete content.
a laughing comment ON this lack of
business attention elected from one Of
these sa1esmen the French shrug and
the statement esThere are no thieves in
PARIS. At one of these sets Of stalls in
50 more pretentious quarter certain stu
dents are said to go day by day, take up
"a book and read awhile in it, until they
have finished it. Also it is not at all
unusnal for shopkeeper to refuse to
sfea bCyer some article which he
thinks is not exactly suited to him
when he has not the desired thing in
his store. Stupid and slow, I have heard
this called, but think it has a finer
meaning. think it means that some
thing has stood between this nation and
the coarsening effect which too often
follows extreme poverty Without doubt
this something is, first, the fact that in
the old world it is net considered in the
smallest sense adisgrace to beeconomical
reven poor. Oncethe mind is freed from
the incubus Of such beliefs, it is aston
ishing how much mental strength is left
tospend in an intelligent practice OF the
virtue of economy, for it takes the finest
mental strength to be economical. 1t is
the sloyenly mind which is wasteful
whether ones means permit it or not
There is vast difference between econ
enizing by doing without indiscrim-
inately and economizing by first avoid
ing all useless waste and then finding
ont the best possible uses Of materials
These last seem to be the peculiar char
acteriStics. Of French economy. They