Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1917-10-18
Tho increasing activity Of her ra1.-

way system is similarly demonstrate
able. In 1863 there were in France
lO,743 miles of railway track; IN l91S.
there were 81 ,546 miles.
Between 1869 and 1912, inland -navi-
CATION Increased $50 per cent; while
the traffic of her mercantile marine
has amazingly expanded. The tonnage
entering French ports in lSG9 Is set
down as 100000 tons. In 1917
this had been increased to 53,O0O,OOO
tons.
Leaders in American finance ascribe
this solidarity of the French republic
to three influences; first, thoroughly
sound banking system, centralized IN
one of the greatest banking institutions
of the world, the Bank Of France; sec
ond, the ingrained thrift and frugaliry
of the French people as a whole, to-
cether with a national economic vigor
not elsewhere surpassed; third, wise
supervision. and patriotic cooperation
by the government with banking and
business interests.
The government does its part to war
rant and retain the confidence of the
holders Of it's securities. One Of Its
wise policies is to impose new taxes to
defny the interest charges on new Sc
curlty issues. 1t began this practice
after the Franco-Prussian war, and is
today following the same rule in regard
to securities Issued to finance the pres.
ent conflict. This continuity Of pur-
pose, doubtless, Will prove reussuring
to all holders of French government
securities.
The Franco-Prussian war Of 1870
1871 taught the French people the
meaning Of thrift and economy. So
well did they learn this lesson, that
the whole sum of the indemnity de-
manded by Germany, $1,00OOOO,O 900,
was raised within the republics con-
fines by Its own inhabitants and paid
off more than one year before the time
stipulated by the Gormans.
The habit thus acquired has never
been forgotten by the French, and to-
day the aggregate number of investors
purchasing the French war loans has
reached the amazing total Of 100000
Individual subscribers. Perhaps no 9th"
er country, in proportion to Its popula-
ton, can make so good showing.
France Is particularly fortunate In
that her small Investors prefer "safe'
investments rather than offerings
which promise high returns. Govern
ment rentes, in France are perpetu-
al, and this characteristic seems to OBJ
tnin for these government bonds in
creaslng favor in the eyes Of the
French people.
The points Of sympathy between
France and America are too many to
enumerate. but the spirit of liberty and
Its resultant democracy ere, today as
always, the major ideals of both ma
tons. Seeking no victories but those
Of peace, no territory except their own,
no sovereignty except sovereignty over
; themselves - the independence and
equal rights of the weakest member of
the family Of nations are to the people
Of the United States and Of France en-
titled to as much respect as those OF
the mightiest empire. In defense Of
these principles. France is engaged in
death struggle with militant autoc-
1acy and ruthless aggression, and 1t Is
not surprising to learn that she has
loaned to her allies and to other friendly
states 7,OOOOOO,OOO francs with which
to further the cause Of democracy 1t
is in keeping with Americas traditions
that since the date on which we for.
mally aligned ourselves with France
and her allies in the great struggle,
our government has lent to France
ss7Q,ooo,o0O
1t is enlinently fitting that America
should now be fighting on French soil
to make the world safe for democracy.
The liberty that America has enjoyed
for 40 years France helped her to
achieve. The swords Of Lafayette and
Eochambeau aided by the guns of De
Glasse upon the high seas, assisted in
cutting the foreign ties that bound the
American colonies prior to the War for
Independence, and from the private
purse of King Louis himself came the
first loan to America--unsccured and
unconditional--to finance that historic
undertaking. 1t was with entire Jus.
tice that Washington wrote to Rocnam.
beau, ITO the generous aid of your ma
ton and to the bravery Of it's sons is
to be ascribed In very great degree
that independence for which we have
fought"