The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-02-11
81 Bit of France
and French !:
By Mrs. Byrd Trego.

France concentrates her agricul-
tural population into villages and
communes. We who understand the
ethics of trade and industry claim
this method creates balance of POI
litical forces that guarantees just
distribution of the results Of it's
whole productive energy; that the
well adjusted commercial conditions
of rural France are wholly due to it's
separation into villages and COM
munal bodies.
| AS agriculture is the paramount
industry of France in normal peace
times, she guards 1t carefully
against all influences that would
tend to impair it seriously. She
takes the opposite views of Eng
land in maintaining a stability Of
market and product, that is quite to
her credit in caring for her dense
population. France has always
maintained well poised relation Of
all industrial and productive factors
! thru judiciOus conserving laws. The
soltdity Of her whole economic fabric
has at times made her the envied Of
all nations. She has frequently been
called upon for financial aid and re-
lief by other nations. whose bril-
lance Of industrial achievements
have brought them disorder. France
has ever persued serenely steady
march OF industrial progress, unset
tied only by trancient disturbances
that occasionally arise. She has a
way of maintaining steady, health
ful, virtue preserving employment
for two-thirds Of her people, with an
indirect influence that extends to
four-ffths Of the whole population.
This is one of the prime reasons for
the speedy liquidation of her colos-
sal war indemnity of 1870. In fact no
other country has maintained such
evenly. balanced agricultural rela-
lions. Nowhere in the western
world do we find such skillful regula-
lions as has been revealed in mod
ern France.
A few statistics disclose the fact
that in 1900 there were in France
over $4,000 communes and towns
with POPULATION not exceeding 500
representing a total of 100000,
There were 10000 towns not over
1000 in population, making an ag-
gregate Of 100000. There were
5000 towns not exceeding 1000 in
with an entire family of
Z, 100000. Therefore her agricul-
tural body Is divided into over 3d.
600 communes and towns, with a
combined total of over 100000
people. The rural element also DOM
mates largely towns of more inhab-
itants. The total population in 1911
was 39,601,509. There are 2O7,O54
square miles within its territory.
So steady and sure are the mar
kets of France that for a period of
sixty years reaching from 1910 to
1900 the price of wheat only varied
cents per bushel. OF course there
10 some good farmer who wonders
what the price Of wheat was during
hat period. The only information
find reads like this: Between 1910
Ind 1870, the average price of wheat
n France was forty-seven shilling
Ter quarter, while for the second
'eriod, from 1870 to 1900, the aver
Ige price was forty-five shilling per
luarter, a difference of only two
killings per quarter, or about 6
ents per bushel, for the period of
ixty years"
II France had suffered as did Eng
and during the years from 1870 to
800, the same ratio l mean, she
you'd have lost $4,00O,OO0 on her
Wheat alone. So much for the con-
CRYING policy of the French govern
1ent in the past. Now we will
1atch her future with intense in
crest.
p. s.: Perhaps l haven't made it
lain that all farmers live in small
OWNS. They go out to their fields
4 the morning to work, returning
their town or village or commune
ONES at night.
Mrs. Robert Patterson of Pingree
was, in Blackfoot between trains
riday enroute to Pecabo, Idaho,
GRO cha will cpnr1 Rnr, 49,.