The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1910-03-17
Lending Money Upon Property,
AS Old As Society.
Plus II. OPENED THE FIRST


stepped IN to prevent abuses in this
connection and protect the masses
of the people from usurers.
In the middle of the fifteenth con-
tury there was between the church
and the monarchs third power,
which. although It worked in secret
nevertheless dictated terms to the
proudest mobiles. This power WAS the
purse OF the Jew.
In 1864 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
cftcn passed their lives In utter SER
yitude to the money-londers.
The necessary capital was obtain.
ed by pious appeals to the rich And
roble, and in a few years branches
We're founded in every city in Italy.
For generations thereafter these es-
adjustments were under church CON
troll, but gradually they became
part of the public service.
The system took three centuries
to cross the Alps into France. II VAS
in l77S that NJ. Necker. the famous
minister of Louis XVI. caused the
first lantern of the Mont de Piete to
be hung out in Paris. Twelve years
later however. the revolution broke
out and the constituent assembly lie
cidcd to close up the short-lyed
Institution.
Naturally enough the old pawn
brokers and usurers at once resumed
business and were more cxtoruouatc
than ever, the game being now 81
tirely in their hands under peculiar
ly advantageous conditions. Their
oppression indeed became 50 great
an evil that the provisional govern
ment had sense enough to restore tIe
row famous Mont de Piete, as the
State Pawnbroking Department II
France is called.
This vast national concern Is run
in the interests OF the poor under ii-
rect control of the government. IL is
kind of state bank, receiving de-
loslts from the people on which II
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
a state monopoly conducted as We
shall see with machine-lke precision.
with no unseemly haggling. no
hurry, no discourtesy and no lu-
kindness The Mont de Piete n
deed with its auxiliary Offices in
every quarter of the great city Of
Paris and "succursales" or branches
throughout the provincial cities Is
beyond doubt a very real boon to
millions OF humble folk. 1t Will
take into safe-keeping and storage
the stove of the street chustnut-
seHer 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 an
end. 1t will lend the out-of-work
laborer sixty cents on his tools that
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 or
succursales, one in the Rue Roquet-
te, and the other in the Rue de Bon
aparte. The latter is the more I'M
portant and is somewhat incongru-
ously placed near that noble lnsutn-
ton the Ecole des BeauX Arts. one
enters through passage leading IN
TO an open court surrounded on III
sides by the various buildings OF the
Mont de Piete. On the left as you
enter, is the department OF "Degage-
ments," where the prosperous re-
deem their pledges. Next comes 'H'
hall of Engagements where aFu
cles are received and beyond that me
immense auction room where unre
deemed pledges are sold.
1t is curious to observe that Al
though crowds are present IN lP'
various departments, pledglhs' re
deeming or buying at auction tuer'
is no noise or excitement and Ger
tainly no confusion. 1t is an ahNiod
crowd but silent one when pasSe
about the counters of the rece'!h'
department. Here Is an arusah y"
OF work, dry goods clerk, an al7
gantly dressed lady "pawning ne
sables instead of putting them lnV
cold storage for the summer IN
whole transaction is looked upol
as most matter-of-fact. Parse'
handed across the counter are taNs'
to an inner room to be valued u
the appraiser who never so much q
sees the applicant. The hrst parce
is perhaps a christening set OF siiSe
cup, fork and spoon. The Value
turns to his little weighing machine
weighs the silver, tests it and ais
passionately calls out "Twenty-h
A malacca cane follows with ~
alleged to be gold. 1t Is ruopeu y
test stone, flicked with aciu au