The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-11-02
Americana ano American Good.r
 In the Silk Country Qf Sunny France

to Lyons. He speaks French like a nzv tive, and this. in connection with nis newspaper training and practical ability makes him one of rne valuable men of our consular service.
 American Goods in the Rhone Valley
 Consul Covert tells me that our Amert- can exporters are not doing their duty in the Hhone valley. There IS big op- portunity here for the sale of all kinda of goods. Ihls is great leather countrys having some of the largest tanneries o3 France, nevertheless quantities Of Ameriean glazed kld are snipped In from the United States. American dried fruits are in demand, and there is an opening for Amercan jams ad preserves. There are macaroni factories and the Texas hArd wheat can be shipped here at q urodts Smoked salmon Is much used.
 There is an opening for our carpeuterr tools and hardware and also for AmertcAn sewing machines. The chief machine cold here IS the Singer This company has thoroughly organized its foreign trade It has agencies in every country and in every town, and 1t practically moncpcllxeD it's field. There is no reason why other machines would not sell equally well if they were properly pushed, tor the French ana Germans cannot make such machines in comparison with us.
 1 find Deering harvesters and McCcr- mick reapers largely used in the Rhone valley, and think there should be biE opening here for American plows and other farm implements. Mir. Antrtsts one of the Deering representatives at Paria, tells me that the farm laborers are Hrad- uaily going to the cities. They are work ing In the factories. and the result is that machinery must take their place This Is so not only in France, but in all parte of the continent, and as result there is an increased demand for Agricultural tools. Every manufacturer of such tools should study the export trade. There n money in it.
 How the French Workmen Combine.
 The recent trouble between labor and capital in the great coal strike leads mo to write of the workingmen's orEanixa- ,tions in the Rhone valley. This 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. They have. however, some very good institutions, and among them are the workmens aid societies. These are a sort of mutual benefit or pension associations, intended to give their n1ern- bers money ins their old age. The mem- bers 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 Is in proportion to the 1egth and amount of saving. and the members range all the way from three years to sixty.
 Hundreds of school children belong to such associations, and the Government It. self aids in their support. There are now more than 100000 members. The ao- cieties pay out 60, 100 pensions every year, lac atsn fr~ tr ak 00oO00. Tho societies are under the cou- trol of the interior department. and ths officials believe that they prevent strikes and divert the members from conmunis- tic and socialistic tendencies.
 These associations were begun just af- ter the French revolution, and they are in a thriving condition today. They can be organized by any class of workmen or employees. Some of them are composed of clerks, some of salesgirls and many of factory hands. The members are required to pay monthly .iues. and the money Is invested in Government bonds at 3 per cent This is added to by the Govern ment so that the funds bring in at least 41-2 per cent, which interest goes .on at a compound rate and accumulates tho vast amounts which are given out for old-age pensions.
 There are also accident societies and societies organized by the different rail- road companies and other large corpora tions for their employees. It Is wonderful how the money grows out of these small savings. Two cents a day laid aside for sixteen years gives an income of about $2.50 month from that time on. and more produces money in the same pro- portion.
 The Government is so organized that such societies can be formed in any community. Deposits can be made whsr-