The times., 1899-11-05
INDUSTRIAL GERMANY.
Facts shown by the Most Complete
Census Ever Taken.
FFom The New York Commercial.)

(FFOm the New York Commercially
The social and industrial evolu-
tion which, for the past ten or
fifteen years, has been eleyat-
ing the character and. consequently. the
position and influence Of the German peo-
pie. is shown in many striking ways in a
summary of the census taken throughout
Germany In 1885. It was the most search
ing and complete census ever prosecuted ir
the history of the world 1t aimed not
merely at numbering the people, but at SET
ting down with minuteness a classification
of the population by its occupations and
social status With what thoToughress the
work was done is illustrated by the fact
that if a village cobbler in his spare mo-
ments made boots to sell ready made, he
was classed as being primarily engaged in
industry and secondarily in trade. The
record is one of continued expansion and
prosperity, which cannot concern GERMANY
alone. The superiority of the German peo,
pie over their neighbors is emphasized il
a score of ways The population Of Ger
many now exceeds 80, O00, 600, an increase
OF over 1000 600 since 1882 Doubtless the
increase during the past four years has
continued in an even greater ratio. France,
on the other hand three years ago had d
population of 3S 500 ,0O0, which represents
an increase of less than 1,5o0,GC0 since 1881
For the slow growth Of the population in
| France an explanation has been given
which it is said, Englishmen cannot with
good grace criticise, for the next English
census returns may also show declining
rate of increase But, apart from mere
numbers there is ample evidence Of the
superior vitality of the German people.
They are serious and Industrious there is
| in them more than trace Of the Yorkshire
I grit and thoToughHe5s, coupled with con-
tempt for mere appearances. Germans
work more regularly and retire upon their
means earlier than FTenchmen, and, what
| is more significant still, the German in his
| retirement is content with comfort and
| quiet ease, while his neighbor in similarly
! fortunate circumstances assumes airs and
affects luxury.
On previous occasions the migration or
population to the towns has been noted.
/ The census returns reveal the extent Of
| this movement. The town populations be
/ tween 1882 and 1885 increased by 8 per
cent, whereas the population Of the coun-
| try districts decreased by nearly / II per
cent The populations of towns of about
! 100. 600 inhabitants, depending entirely
upon manufactures, increased during the
/ thirteen years by over II per cent, amount
| ing to over 7.OOO,0OO persons. At the same
| time the population engaged in agriculture
| decreased by nearly 100000. Among the
branches of industry in which employment
| has chiefly improved are iron and metal
working mining. clothing, building, and
| hotel and inn keeping.
Fortunes are being made and men are
moving out of business into independence
/ in steady procession. There is an increase
| of 50 per cent in the number of persons
living in retirement on their means, and
what is even more satisfactory from the
! of vi there has dnrinu
the thirteen years been an increase OF 1S5
| per cent in the number of young persons
| studying for professions and preparing to
follow them.
The domestic servant class has positively
! decreased Whether it be that German
housewives prefer to do without domestic
servants, or that the servant difficulty
is more acute in Germany than in England,
| or factory work more attractive or, poss-
! blv, there exists greater scope for female
! labor. it is impossible upon these data to
saw. 1t remains a curious fact that, with
more wealth and more leisure in which TO
enjoy it. the German people have more OF
| their household work TO do themselves
than others in corresponding positions in
! this country or in France, and there seems
to be no outcry against il.
| The percentage OF men engaged in indus
try between the ages of 20 and 30 was oyel
| % per cent, rising TO - per cent IN the
next decade and remaining over 80 per cen
| to the operation of the national old-agt
| these figures show an increase in activ,
| employment and beyond that a steady de.
cline. which is chiefly attributed to th,
| strain and pressure of modern industrial
| life. partly to the retirement upon fortunes
| made in business and 10 soma extent ais,
to the operation of the national old-ag+
pensions scheme. The population of unem
ployed in 1879 is equally remarkable Al
| lowing for men incapacitated by illness
there were only 179G0o, or 1S5 per cent
of the working population out of work, com