Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-24

account q series Of expenses which have
character purely Industrial and pro-
ductive OF revenue. the total OF w.lirh
reaches s9oS.0Oo.0o. II the expenses
Of the empire. the confederated states.
provinces and the communes In l9li-1:
are defalcated there remains sum OF
s.. 5,000.cO0. They represent thus SIS
per capita OF the inhabitants
In France the total expenses OF the
departmental states and cominunes do
not exceed 81. 140.uoo.0oo. and the tax per
capita does not exceed $3.50. What be-
comes of the legend of less tax paid
by the German?
Ihe GERMAN taxpayer supports that
tax with the more difficulty because his
revenue is inferior TO that
taxation of the French taxpayer.
prrd The revenue OF the taxpay-
er of France is - per cent
superior to that OF the taxpayer OF Ger
many, and he is burdened by a tax of 10
per cent inferior to that of the German.
Herr Won Eermuth, secretary OF state
Tor the treasury, decided to make ~
stand last year against the renewed de-
mand of credit for the army and navy.
recourse to loans and new taxes. Tho
task is arduous. He may, in order 10
defend his policy, knowingly recall to his
colleagues with some modification the
words OF Heine:
When 1 see the ministers and assem-
blies lighting and quarreling In tho
midst OF their debts and with their
money and resources engaged I'm tho
conflict L cannot avoid, / confess. from
calling to mind the play with sticks in a
emma ShOp."
The intense financial crisis that broke
out in Germany on the occasion of the
franco-German conflict, not yet COM
pletely decided, shows better than any
carious basis rests German prosperity. IL
Is sensitive to the least touch and at the
mercy of the least attack.
The general decline of stocks at the
German bourSe in the month of Septem-
Der last inspired the following lines writ
ten by the German correspondent OF the
Economists European: Since eight days
the bourse of Berlin fills the world with
the noise OF its panics and failures.
Here one understands the situation and
suffers less from the losses, which are
nevertheless enormous, than from the
deplorable impression which will be pro-
duced abroad. Cndeniable proof has been
given to all OF the fra Siiity of our finan-
cial market, of its inaptitude for any
serious resistance and its absolute lack
Of free funds. There were yea. tnat lhose
who dominate and direct this market
labor to create the illusion of its power
and its riches. They almost succeeded.
What becomes now of all this brilliant
decoration? And still We are not at the
end of our failures
The blow has been a severe shock to
the government at Berlin, which had not
foreseen that a mechanism so delicate
and so sensitive as the finance and in
dustry of a state which lives principally
upon credit cannot be submitted to too
rude and sudden shocks. The lesson has
been hard one, indeed.
Germany lives upon credit. She lives
upon the $500. 100000 advanced to her
by the foreigner and which
German she turns over and fructifies
C,.1 i'm her commerce and indus
oAS"As' try. The recall of a part
Of the capital advanced her was sum-
cient to put her In the most cruel EN-
barrassment. What would have been Ger
many's situation IL the s.. 500, 000.000 had
been recalled by her creditors?
The money of others constitutes the
economical force of Germany. 1t Is the
crowbar which she uses with extraor-
binary dexterity to push over the world
the world Of Europe. When the crow
bar breaks, as II may break in her
hands. Germany will find herself with
out defense against the crisis which may
assaii and hopelessly paraiyze her.
There are other causes which have con-
prosperity Of Germany. In the first place
a great factor was the great increase in
her population. Germany had 41,O00,000
in 1870. She had 85,O00,OO0 In 1910.
Next in importance a. was the ,, vast tide tide
tributed greatly to strengthen the aspira-
tions of government. During forty years
Germany poured thousands of her ma
tionals over the wide world. They were
125O0O in 1872 10000 in 1881. $4,000 in
1883. They left Germany for distant
countries, making known German prod
ucts and finding and exploiting new mar
kets. In a few years they constituted a
veritable German army fighting for and
defending the industrial interests of Ger
many. 1t is difficult at this hour to de-
termne the coefficient of the wealth and
economical progress brought to the en-
pire by these pioneers OF German in-
fiuence. Germany for fact was the first
% exait the "eXpatriate" and lift from
him the certain criticism, even stigma.
with which the too provincial patriot was
| accustomed to resard the exile
But there was an end to this benefac-
ton Little by little German emigration
diminished; it became insignificant these
late years. 1t is thus force which must
be counted off for Germany
The excessive cost Of food and the
means OF living is another element OF
rouble for Germany. few days ago
the Vorwaerts distributed throughout
Berlin a manifesto Illuminating against
the high prices Of living and painting in
the most somber colors the misery of the
German proletary. The Vorwaerts affect
ed 10 ignore the fact that the misery was
no more German than IL was American.
The misery, indeed. is general.
X
Germany's soil, industry and commerce
are rich. The present troubles may be
only passing storms that
Valuable may be dissipated by the
acquisition of the new
territory on the Kongo.
But then Germany has shown but little
capacity for colonization, and until now
her colonies in Africa have proved a great
deception. In any event the benefits OF
Germany's colonial acquisitions under the
Franco-German treaty must wait upon
time for their exploitation.
= Meantime Germany is suffering from
her enforced immobilization. She is in
need OF more money. The millions OBJ
tanned from foreign countries which have
enabled her to enter the race against
England, Tor example, constitute a con-
slant menace. AS rich as Germany may
be. she Is in need of the money of others
to accomplish her destiny.
The present reichstag, elected in 1907.
will terminate in February. In anticipa-
ton OF that event the general elections
for a new reichStag have heep ordaraa