Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1917-10-25
Natural Thrift and Economy
Promise Rapid Progress
EXPORT BUSINESS GROWING
Our Great Ally Possesses Recuper.
alive Powers Which Justify Belief
That She Will Meet and Solve Tri.
u%mphantIy the Problems Which Con.
front Her After the War.

With Paris boulevards echOing with
"vives" for American troops our inter-
est In the welfare of u ully vastly
increases, and the facts are not lack
Ing to encourage the belief that she is
already on the road to recovery from
the blow of invasion by q ruthless en-
envy.
One of the most important ucvel=
%OpLlents Is the announcement that
one of the largest banking institutions
In America concerned with foreign
trade. the Guaranty Trust cUlnpuny
Of New York, hus opened Il Paris
branch to bundle the rapidly lncreas.
Ing volume OF French business.
This action may surprise many per-
SOUS who had thought Of France as
bowed under a calamitOus invasion.
The bank, however, gives figures indl-
eating that France Is not only meeting
her military and civilian problems with
a stout heart and falling cour-
age, but is re-establishing her export
business with this country.
In 1914, the year Of the outbreak Of
the war, imports from France to this
country tOtaled $141,446,252. This to-
tai was reduced to $77,15S,74O in 1915,
but last year the value Of French i'm
ports to the United States rose to
$lO2, OF, 080.
"A nation thut can achieve such a
commercial recovery while her terri
tory Is being ravlshed by the invader"
says the Trust c%onpuny's statement.
possesses recuperative powers which
Justify the belief that she will emerge
from the present conflict prepared to
meet and solve triumphantly the prob.
TENS which confront her"
The commercial and industrial rec
ord of France. following past wars, in
dicates that she should recover quickly
from the actual physical destruction
inflicted In the present conflict. The
reconstruction Of railroads, the erection
of factories to replace those destroyed,
and the replacement Of the mechanism
of Industrial activity that will be re-
qulred and that Is IN part already
planned. offer a peculiarly inviting
field to American capital and enter
prise. Tentative steps have already
been taken by representatives Of Amer
lean engineers and business men in this
work.
Aside from its attractive business
aspect, the enlistment Of American
money and effort In the great task of
reconstruction that will remain ut the
end Of the war will tend to cement still
more closely the ties that bind the two
great republics together, and will en-
able Americans to discharge In part
the debt they owe to France for her
friendly interest In the welfare and
progress Of the United States from
the beginning Of its life MS a nation.
In judging the Industrial status Of
any nation, its production md con-
sumption Of coal, iron, und steel and
the growth Of Its transportation sys. :
TENS are highly significant factors.
In 1869, French Industries consumed
q million tons of coal, Of which 1875 !
millions were taken from home mines.
La AOlss thV SONeuiiI'i'h "u" VI M
lions, of which Al million tons were
taken from home mines.
In 1869. the French output Of cast
iron was 1,3SO,OOO tons, and Of steel,
100000 tons. In 1914. France pro-
duced $4,000 tons Of cast iron and
4.8S5.O 0 tons Of steel.
The increasing activity Of her rail.
way system Is similarly demonstrate
able. In 1860, there were In France
1O.743 miles Of railway track In 1912, !
there were 31,548 miles.
Between 1869 und 1912, inland navi.
CATION increased $50 per cent; while
the traffic Of her mercantile marine
has amazingly expanded. The Tonnage !
entering French ports In 1869 is set
down as 11,00O,00O tons. In 1912
this had been increased to 53,OOO,000
tons.
Lenders in American finance ascribe
this solidarity Of the French republic
to three influences: first. a thoroughly