The sun., 1897-04-16
Pawnbrokerage in Vienna.

1t is generally acknowledged that the
best way of relieving the transient neces-
stiles of the poor is to lend them small
sums of money on personal property at
low rate of interest. This is deemed the
best way, because the recipient is not pau
periZed, but, on the contrary, retains his
self-respect, and Is stimulated to work in
order to redeem his property. With view
of affording this unobjectionable sort of
help many attempts have been made to es-
tablish philanthropic pawnshops, but these
have usually failed, except when the insti-
tutions have been managed by State or
municipal authorities. The beneticent work
accomplished by the Paris Mont de Piete
and by other establishments of the same
name in Franco and Italy. has been often de-
scribed; but none of these Is so purely
philanthropical in it's aims and methods as
are the Imperial Pawn Offices of Vienna.
We find an interesting account of these in.
stitutions in the National Re,icp
The first of these offices was started in
1907, during period of great distress in
Lower Austria, by the Emperor JOSEPH l.,
who subscribed money out Of his private
purse to provide 1t with the needful capital,
By the original decree all money made by
the institution was to be spent for the re-
lief of the poor; but during part of the
eighteenth century the establishment seems
to have lost much of its philanthropc char
acter, its officials being more intent upon
money getting than upon helping their
clients. When JOSEPH ii. came to the
throne, however. he put an end to this
abuse, and reorganized the Office, which
soon recovered its old popularity and has
ever since retained 1t. BY / 7s7 the business
of the pawnshop had increased so much that
large convent in the Dorotheergasse was
bought, and there the institution has since
had Its home. Some ten years ago n second
Imperial Pawn Office was opened In the
Feldgasse, and 1t is expected that a third
will be started before long. These shops
are organized and worked, as we have said,
for the express purpose of helping the poor,
although, II members of the higher classes
choose to have recourse to them, they are
made welcome, for the reason that without
their patronage the offices would not be
self-supporting.
The terms upon which the institutions
deal with their clients are these The arti-
Gle offered by way of pledge is valued by
two appraisers. and three-fourths of the
valuation is lent Only 10 per cent. interest
per annum is charged for the loan, no mat
ter whether 1t be ono form or ten thou
sand. There ls q regulation. however, by
which the officers are allowed to charge
interest for full fortnight on what
they lend, even though 1t be repaid
at tho end of a day. There is no
levying of fees for changing" or "ticket."
nor 10 any interest deducted In advance.
To bring out clearly the advantages of these
institutions. let us take the case of those
workmen who habitually deposit their
Sunday clothes with their "uncle" every
Monday morning throughout the year, and
redeem them every Saturday night. II the
sum advanced to the hebdomadal pawner
Were ten shillings, the use of those shillings
from Monday until Saturday for f1fty.two
weeks would cost him about forty shill-
inGs. IL he lived in London; whereas, he