The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-05-29
Lending Money Upon Property
As Old AS Society.
Plus II. OPENED The FIRST
The Mont dc Picte Great Success In
Paris-It's Run i'm the Interest Of
the Poor Under Direct Govern
ment Control, and Is Boon to
Humble Folk.

until Middle Ages tnat authority
stepped in toSprevent abuses in this
connection and protect the masses
Of the people from usurers.
In the middle of the fifteenth CEN
tury there was between the churcn
and the monarchs third powar.
which, although it worked in secret,
nevertheless dictated terms to the
proudest mobiles. This power was tns
purse of the Jew.
In 1854 Plus II. opened the first
State Pawnshop in beautiful old
Perugia-that ancient cradle of art
on the quiet Umbrian Hills. The
idea was to relieve the peasants and
humble laborers who unquestionably
often passed their lives in utter SER
ritude to the money-lenders
The necessary capital was obtain
ed by pious appeals to the rich and
noble, and in few years branch es
were founded in every city in Italy.
For generations thereafter these eS-
adjustments were under church con-
troll, but gradually they became d
part of the public service.
The system took three centuries
to cross the Alps into France. IL Was
in ITS that M. Necker. the famous
minister of Louis XVI. caused the
first lantern of the Mont de Piete 10
be hung out in Paris. Twelve years
later, however, the revolution broke
out and the constituent assembly de-
cided to close up the short-lived
institution.
Naturally enough the old pawn
brokers and usurers at once resum q
business and were more eNtortion .tc
than ever, the game being now on
tirely in their hands under peculiar
ly advantageous conditions. Their
oppression indeed became so great
an evil that the provisional govern
ment had sense enough to restore tla
now famous Mont de Piete. as the
State Pawnbroking Department of
France is called.
This vast national concern Is run
In the interests Of the poor under di-
rect control of the government 1t rs
a kind of state bank, receiving de-
Losits from the people on which t
now pays about four per cent. in
terest, and it lends money at nine
per cent.
No private person is allowed to
lend money on goods in Paris or In
any other part Of France. This is
state monopoly conducted as We
shall see with machine-like precision.
with no unseemly hasgiirg. no
hurry, no discourtesy and no Iu'
kindness. The Mont de Picte in
deed with it's auxiliary Offices In
every quarter of the great city oI
Paris and "succursaies" or branches
throughout the provincial cities is
beyond doubt very real boon tc
millions of humble folk. il VIII
take into safe-keeping and Storag.,
the stove of the street chustndt-
seller at the approach OF spring;
and takes charge of the fountain
of the iced drink peddler when chilly
October warns him his trade is at ar
end. 1t will lend the out-os-wcrk
laborer sixty cents on his tools tAa'
he may go here and there in search
OF employment.
The headquarters Of the institution
are in the Rue des Blanc-Manteaux
and there are two great branches o.
succursales, one in the Rue Roquet
te, and the other in the Rue de Bo!-
aparte. The latter is the more i'm
portant and is somewhat incongru-
ously placed near that noble inst!tu
ton the Ecole des Beaux Arts. One
enters through a passage leading IN
to an open court surrounded on al
sides by the various buildings of the
Mont de Piete. On the left, as y'u
enter, is the department of "Degage-
ments," where the prosperous re-
deem their pledges. Next comes the
hall of Engagements" where a'ti
cles are received and beyond that nc
immense auction room where unre
deemed pledges are sold.
1t is curious to observe that al
though crowds are present in RI.
. various departments, pledgiEs, re
ieeming or buying at auction. thar'
is no noise or excitement ard ccr
tainly no confusion. 1t is an anX'o L
crowd but silent one which passes
about the counters of the re%eiv!n-
department. Here is an artisan ou'
of work. a dry goods clerk, IN ai-
eantly dressed lady "pawninS' he
sables instead of putting tAcm int
cold storage for the summer. TIL
whole transaction is looked upc:
as most matter-of-ract. Para2.|
handed across the counter are tax
IN an inner room to be valued BY
The appraiser who never so mIcIi
eces the applicant. The first parc"'
:. perhaps christening set o: S!lia'
rup. fork aud spoon. The value
farms to his little weighing machine
Hcighs the silver. tests It AID iia-
.,sss;onately calls out "Twant% five.
4 malacca cane follows Nits Tal
alleged to be gold. II is rr&Ici "r
Il test stone, flicked with acid aH:'
nromptly denounced as an ;m25Ste'
Diamond rings and brooches e,
through most searching eXainila'
tons. There is no sentiment.