How is it that M. Fix did
not see that his figures accused themselves?
They hope that, in time, all, or almost all, laborers will
deposit in the savings banks. Without awaiting the testimony of
the future, we may test the foundations of this hope immediately.
According to the testimony of M. Vee, mayor of the fifth
arrondissement of Paris, "the number of needy families inscribed
upon the registers of the charity bureaus is 30,000,-- which is
equivalent to 65,000 individuals." The census taken at the
beginning of 1846 gave 88,474. And poor families not
inscribed,--how many are there of those? As many. Say, then,
180,000 people whose poverty is not doubtful, although not
official. And all those who live in straitened circumstances,
though keeping up the appearance of comfort,--how many are there
of those? Twice as many,--a total of 360,000 persons, in Paris,
who are somewhat embarrassed for means.
"They talk of wheat," cries another economist, M. Louis Leclerc,
"but are there not immense populations which go without bread?
Without leaving our own country, are there not populations which
live exclusively on maize, buckwheat, chestnuts?"
M.
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