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Show Municipal Pawnshops. The story of. the Mont de Piete, the great pawnshop of Paris, reads' like a romance. It is the survival of un old bank conducted by a religious order established to fight usury. This benevolent enterprise was given up to be started afresh ander the direction direc-tion of the government in 1801 when Napoleon was near the height of his glory. The profits go to the state and to charity to the public aid department depart-ment and to the hospitals of Paris. These charities benefit about 70 Ouu I m f, e 8trage taciIi"es of the Mont de Piete are admirable. The frenchman y Pawn his feather bed When it comes to him it. as weli as mattresse, blankets and all bed fur nish.ngs. have been thoroughly disin fected. The me of interest on ib small, and it encourages by all means the redemption of the goods on which money has been advanv" d As the Montde Plere advances " o ev only on a conservative valuatio ,-us a rule to the value of two-thirds of the article pawed-ti,ere is ly a surplus to go to the pawner If the pledge is sold. Muuiclpal pa"' shops in lierlin charge 12 per cent," , Brussels 7 per cent., In Madrid 6 1. cnt. In London for small lows pawnshop rate is from 400 to- U d per cent, per annum. v |