THE COST OF A REVOLUTION.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 921, 1 February 1872, Page 3

THE COST OF A REVOLUTION.

Tlie following extract from " The Xiuies" will give an idea of the cost of 3 revolution : " Some of the members of the Paris Municipality, including Mr Ratice and several of the most Radical representatives, have published a report Upon the working classes in Paris. They complain that the revival of trade is. •checked not only by the heavy taxation, hut also by the diminished number of skilled workmen, of whom they calculate 100,000 have been lost to Paris through death, imprisonment, or flight ; of the 24,000 one half are missiDg ; the 30,000 tailors have become reduced to 20,000, and other trades are similarly affected. As a remedy for the existing distress, and a method of restoring Parisian prosperity, the report recommends the raising of the state of siege and the proclamation of a complete amnesty. j\. report, drawn up by the 'Paris ■Chamber'of Commerce, after the revolution of 1848, showed while in 18=17 the Paris manufactures of all kinds represented a total value of 1400 millions, that production fell to G77 millions under the influence of the revolutionary crisis. 'Paris revolutions,' says the 'Debats,' "are expensive things and it is not often, whatever their authors may think, that they in tbe end are found to be worth theircost. Putting aside the question of the.propriety of converting a capital ■city into a fortified town, the' Debats,' •observes that from September to June Paris ceased to produce those special articles which were at once its pride wul its 'wealth. During that time the ■only thing manufactured were demonstrations and manifestations, and the only exports were prefects and dictators, The other articles of Paris ■ceased : to be produced ; but although Paris would not work the rest of the world Would not go without hats, boots, perfumery, or .jewellery, and, consequently, when the existing stocks had been exhausted, other countries set to work to produce the articles for themselves, and the prolonged action of the siege by the events of March gave foreigners time to perfect themselves in what bad hitherto been a Parisian speciality, and to supply a demand which Paris had failed to meet. ' This is the explanation of that falling off in manufactures which the authors of the report so mucn 'lament j why clothing, modes, and furniture, fail to find their accustomed market.'"