The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-17

hAR1s, November 1s.-(speoiai.)-
 When one finds pieces of rag or
 buttons in the government tobacco, when the state matches either refuse to light or else explode. burning ones ayes, or when the state railway kills a dozen persons at a time there is an outcry. But one hears nothing at all about another state entrprise that appears to be taking on the evil qualities of a monopoly and losing steadily the virtues that originally seemed to characterize 1t. Maybe the Itason nothing much is written about IL - because 1t doesn't look well to have Srst hand information about the monte Se-Piete, as the national pawnshop IS <alled
 In theory this institution is an emnodi- 1nent Of benevolence-a state organized poor mans bank, from which the needy may borrow money at a reasonable inter sst In practice. however, there are few institutions more unsympathetic, callous -and unfair than the French Mont-de- Piete. The state neglects to do what private pawnshops in other countries do daily, and then makes it criminal of fense for private concerns to serve the public and loan money to the needy. There is no competition. no appeal from is arbitrary dictates, and little or no help for those who need it most.
 According to the official figures for 1911 just published the gross receipts were s22 sso.2o6 and the expenditure tz2.os7. AS. leaving an excess of sa52s61. Originally go to the hospitals of Paris. but the writer was informed by the manager of the Mcnte-de-Piete that the state pawn shop in making Improvements, con sumes it's own profits.
 In Paris today there are 16 places well scattered over the city where objects may be pawned. The central building Is situated in the rue des Francs Bourgeois, in che heart of the crowded Fourth Ar rondissement; there arc three large branch establishments elsewhere and connected with these are auxiliary bu- reaus employing altogether about 600 per sons. There are elsewhere in France and Algeria, under the supervision of the minister of the interior, A other Monte de-Pietes. all of which thrive on the poor. These institutions, as it will be seen later, cannot lose money and con- seQuently as they are no drain on the budget. play little part in politics and are rarely criticized openly.
 During the year just past 9S1, ,022 articles were pawned in Paris alone for the sum of s. .775. Those who could not raise sufficient money to redeem these pawned articles renewed old loans by paying the necessary interest. and such renewals were transacted on 4S1, GA articles. upon : which s4,174s49 had been lent. During the year s60.2e7 articles, upon which ST. 75S,62S had been loaned were redeemed and taken out These transactions. how ever, do not include the money lent on stocks, bonds and furniture pawned. which amounted to B,55S pieces, upon which $1,392.e .e37 was advanced.
 On one day. October 27, 1911. there were in pawn 1,291 ,o04 articles, including, Of course, those which have been there many years. and on October IT, 1911, the amount out Ion loan or articles reached the record sum of s10,156020. All of which goes to prove that the boasted French stocking is not inexhaustible.
 It is significant to note that after clos ing the doors in every other direction this state monopoly refused to loan anything on 1928 jewels and 30,962 paclkages-a total of 50, POT articles-on the hard ground that they were of insufficient value to ef- feet a loan of three francs each, which is the minimum. One wonders what be- came of the disappointed applicants in such desperate circumstances.
 During the year, too. the amounts of -Tered on 20,930 articles and I,291 pack ages wero so small that. although there was nowhere else to go, the would-be borrowers refused to do business with the Monte-de-Piete. According to the of