Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-02

| speaks French. Our American represent
! tative is Mr.. John G. Covert, who is we'll
known to the newspaper world OF the
United States from his long connection
with the Cleveland Leader. Mr.. Covert
began life as a printers devil in the
Leader office, but at the age of a came
to Paris with hardly enough money to
pay weeks board bill. He lived in
!, France for eight years, supporting HIM
self by teaching the Frenchmen English.
Like Bayard Taylor, he put on a blouse
and tramped over the country from one
end of it to the other. studying the people
and learning the language After time
ne returned to the United States and re-
manned there until the election OF Presi-
dent Mckinley, when he was sent to Ly-
ons. He speaks French like native. and
this, in connection with his newspaper
training and practical ability, makes HIM
one of the valuable men of our consular
service.
AMERICAN GOODS in THE RHoNE
VALLEY.
Consu! Covert tells rue that our Ameri-
can exporters are not doing their duty IN
the Rhone Valley. There Is big oppor-
tunity here for the sale OF all kinds OF
goods This is great leather country.
having some of the largest tanneries or
France. nevertheless quantities OF Amerf-
can glazed kid are shipped in from the
United States. American dried fruits are
in demand. and there is an opening Tor
American jams and preserves. There are
macaroni factories, and the Texas hard
wheat can be shipped here at psoht.
| Smoked salmon il much used
There IS an opening for our carpenters
| tools and hardware and also for American
sewing machines. The chief machine SOLO
| here is the Singer, This company mas
! min
| It has agencies in every country ana III
| every town. and It practically monopo-
I! Lies its field There is no reason why
| other machines would not sell equally
| vel if they We're properly pusnea' ioi
| tbe. French and Germans cannot make
/ such machines in comparison with us.
! T find Deering harvesters ana AlEooi
| mick reapers largely used IN the hnoiie
valley and think there should be a Dig
! onanine here for American plows and
other farm implements. Mr.. Antrlst. one
/ of tho Deering representatives in Paris,
1 tells me that the farm laborers are
| ,radually going to the cities Iney are
| working in the factories. and the result
| IS that machinery must take their place.
This, is not only in France, but IN all parts
of the continent, and as a result there
10 an Increased demand for agricultural
| tools. Every manufacturer of such tools
i should study the export trade. There IS
money In it.
/ HOW THE FRENCH WORKMEN COM
BINE.
The recent trouble between labor ana
! capital In the great coal strike leads me TO
! write of the workingmen's organizations
in the Rhone valley. The city Of Lyons
has numerous trades unions. Every now
and then there is strike. but the men
| still work long hours and for small pay.
4 ho, hny
! tutions and among them are the work
| mems aid societies. These are sort or
| mutual benefit or pension association. In
! tended to give their members money IN
their old age The members enter when
| young, and at 55 expect to have enough
| money saved to be able to retire and live
On their pensions. The amount of pension
i $ In proportion to the length and amount
Of saving and the members range all
1 the way from three years to sixty.
/ Hundreds of school children belong to
| such associations and the government IT
self aids in tueir support. There are now
more than 25OO.0OO members. lie socie-
lies pay out $4,000 pensions every year, and
have assets amounting to about $500 600.
/ The societies are under the control OF
the interior department, and the officials
| believe that they prevent strikes and d.
/ vert the members from -communistic and
socialistic tendencies.
These associations were begun just after
/ the French revolution. and they are In a
thriving condition to-day They can be
organized by any class OF workmen or en-
ployees. Some of them are composed OF
l clerks some Of salesgirls, and many OF
factory hands. Inc members are re-
/ luired to pay monthly dues. and the
/ money Is invested n government bonds
i 1T 3 per cent. This Is added to. by the
government. so that the funds bring in at
/ least 4 IL per cent, which interest goes
! on at compound rate and accumulates
/ he vast amounts which are given out for
/ old-age pensions.
1 There are also accident societies and So
! cieties organized by the different railroad
1 companies and other large corporations
for their employees. 1t is wonderful how
he money grows out OF these small saw
/ ngs. Two cents a. day laid aside for six
/ teen years gives an income OF about s2.50
/ 4 month from that time on, and more pro-
/ luces money in the same proportion
1 The government is so organized that
such societies can be formed in any COM
nunity Deposits can be made wherever
There is postoffice. The smallest deposit
/ IS a franc. or twenty cents, but postage
stamps are accepted and many poor peo-
1 ale hnv Saving st---,,S and pa ste away a
cent at time, until they can make up the
/ Deposit Tor q month
l FRENCH POSTAL SAVING. BANKS.
i The postal saving banks of France have
] deposits amounting to more IMAM half q
i billion dollars. and their receipts, incIud-
l ling the interest. amount to more than
I $3.50, COO, o06 year. There are now abou,
4 three and a half million postal SAVING
4 banks depositors. and these include al
classes of people and persons Of all ages
i There are almost as many women as mer
among the depostiors. and also go o0t
4 French children. Many Of the depositors
4 are farm hands and tens Of thousands Of
them are employees in the mills and fac.
1torfes
i About 5000 school children have s.lct
accounts and they are encouraged by til.
teachers to open than. In W0y esnm0s