The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-06-28
writer has been honored by
the request for description of
life in the gay French capital.


life in the gay French capital.
Tho volumes have been written
on this subject, it has not been ex-
hausted, and the wish expressed
shall be gratified in our next issue by
an attempt to portray the sights on
the Partisan streets. But France, the
and nation, is not too we'll un-
derstood by the majority of foreigners,
and for that reason it may be 0ppor-
tune to preface the article on Paris
with a brief description of the advan-
tAges and drawbacks under which
France is laboring today.
France, according to her size and
is more bountifully en-
dowed. than any other country in the
world. Her soil is immensely fertile, and
produces almost everything, in great
abundance and excellent quality, that
is needed to supply the inhabitants
with the necessaries and luxuries of
life. Tho not quite so glowing q pic
ture can be drawn of the mineral
products, and of the products of the
French waters, these are yet more than
sufficient to cover the needs of the
populace. The farmers and lsndown-
ers are very wealthy, which, SO far, has
made it possible for the French gov
ernment to obtain all the money it
needed in their own country. All
other European countries, England ex-
cepted, have to borrow money from
foreign countries, which necessitates
that the interest benefits the lenders,
and thereby is drawn from the home
supply. While the envisble financial
condition of England is due mostly to
the richness of her colonies, that of
France is due to the richness of her
home soil.
AS an industrial and commercial
center, France ranks very high, but not
first; except in all those articles used
for the adornment and good looks OF
the fair sex. There France reigns
supreme. In all other manufactured
goods, and in inventions, etc., France
is close second or third to the coun-
try standing first in each respective
line. The same can be said of French
literature and art in all their various
branches. In the matter of education,
especially insofar as 1t refers to
general knowledge, the lower
classes of the French people are some
what behind several of their foreign
neighbors. The temperament of the
average Frenchman is easily excitable
he is too ready to act on the spur OF
the moment, and will follow implicitly
any leader, whom he believes capable
of enforcing change of existing con
ditions; or of leading the nation te
world power; or-to military glory
In March, 1870, plebiscite of the
French people expressed absolute con
fidence in Napoleon Ill, under whom
France had attained her highest degre'
of prosperity, and world power
second only to that once possessed b,
his great uncle and namesake. Only /,
few months after that plebiscite wa
taken, and following the defeat of tn
French army, this same Napoleon wa
the most execrated man in all France
because he had been defeated.
Twice during the last century, an,
both times under the reign and by tn
skill of a Bonaparte, France ha
gained the -undisputed supremacy il
European affairs. Both these reign
terminated in chaos, leaving Franc
more humiliated than she had eve
been before. The war of 1901, an
the following Commune, left Franc
with debt far greater than the del
Of the United States contracted durin
the four years. War Of the Rebellion
From this great blow, and from thl
enormous debt, France recovere
much quicker than any other natio
could have done. Nothing better tina
that proves the immensely Of tt
French resources.
The fewer the people who share in