Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-11
000,O00 The vegetables and fruits probably
cost as much more SO that at least 81 ,OOO,-
COO day is taken in on this spot


100000. The vegetables and fruits probably
cost as much more, so that at least 1000.
COO day is taken in on this spot.
Cost as Much as the Capitol.
The National Library at Washington.
which is one of the finest buildings of the
world. cost $1,000, 600; our national Capitol
cost $4,000 GOO, and the State, War and
Navy Department about the same sum.
These markets are mere shells. but they
large that they have cost $40. 0oO. 600
or almost as much as any one of our great
est national buildings. The Halles belong
to the Paris municipality and the market
people pay rent for their places in them
l have before me an estimate OF the
amount of food which Paris daily consumes.
1t is enormous. the annual average per
head being 30 pounds of bread. 1873 quarts
of wine, 1877 pounds of meat and twenty
eight pounds of fish, or for the whole city
S24,OOO.0OO pounds of bread, 456 100000
quarts of wine. 53S, 0O0, GOO pounds of meat
and 81 ,OOO. OCO pounds of fish.
And with all this is there opening for
our American products? Not at present, and
not until we have better reciprocity
public puts a tariff on everything that
comes into it, and it protects itself quite
as well as the United States. France goes
on the principle you tickle me and III
tickle you. and if you don't, 1 won't"
So far Uncle Sam has not pIacated the
fair French maiden, and as a result she
buys only what she cannot raise from other
countries taking from us only when she is
in straits and cannot be supplied elsewhere else
In 1909 she imported about S15O,0OOOO0 of
food stuffs and of this only S10,OOo,O<O
worth came from the United States.
There is an impression in our country that
vast amount of American wine is shipped
to France and then sent back again under
French labels. This Mr.. Edward Green,
the secretary of the American chamber of
commerce here. tells me is mistake. The
man, woman and child in the country
half bottle of wine twice a day and leave
some for export. If American wine came
here it would have to pay fair duty. and
the importation would be reported IN the
customs reports. This is not so, and my
conclusion is that no American wine is i'm
ported.
A Walk Through the Markets.
But let US begin our walk through the
markets 1t is early morning and the
wholesale auctions are now taking place.
There are ten acres of buildings where
thousands are buying and selling. The
auctions begin at daybreak and last until
o'clock meat vegetables and fish of all
kinds being sold in lots to the highest bid
ders. We see porterS carrying all sorts OF
things in and out of the doors. Some have
hats, as big around as parasol on Their
heads and above these crates of fowls 1ab-
bits and sucking pigs. Others are carry
ing dressed hogs or the sides of beef on
their shoulders. Some wear panrliers with
baskets of vegetables. All are pushing this
way and that and we are jostled as we
make our way through. Here we are in the
fowl auction hall where chickens, ducks
and rabbits are sold by the crate. There
are thousands of cartridges, pheaSants and
game of all sorts. About each auctioneer
stands a crowd of men dressed like French
peasants and of women in white caps black
shawls and short black skirts all bidding
yociferously for the various lots. The auc-