The record-union., 1895-09-07
FRANCE AND DRUNKENNESS

We have been told so long and SO often
that France is an example of the temper
ate use of things useful in the matter OF
liquor-drinking, and that this is because
she is wine-growing and drinking coun-
try. that we confess to some surprise at
q paper in the ,Sd1lttdTiGn, in which it is
set forth that drunk enness has become
80 common in France as to call for Gov
ernmentsl interference and private
organization for it's decrease. We are
told that
Public drinking houses have multiplied
everywhere. and particularly in Paris, at a
significant rate, and doctors frequently seize
the opportunity OF pointing the moral. 1t is
We'll known that Il large quantity of the cheap
liquor sold Is OF very deleterious character,
but so far warnings havefallen on deaf ears.
AT Mines, however. an energetic effort is on
foot to combat the evil, and il IS deserving OF
speclaI notice, as II is The nrst symptom OF q
movement which, Ii is TO be hoped, viii find
lmitators. y League Against the Progress of
Alcoholism, 10 give it its own title, has Just
been formed in that town. II includes mem
bers from all classes of society. and not only
does 1t intend 10 present a numerously signed
petition for the reform of puolic-house leglsla-
ton. but IL is about 10 establish several tenn
perance cafes, which may at the same time
serve as clubs for workingmen.
On its side the Paris Academy of Medicine is
taxing up the question seriously, and has
adopted a,proposltion brought forward by two
OF its principal members. These gentlemen
set forth that the marked increase OF drunk
enness is a permanent danger TO public
health. Many constitutions are ruined by
intempeTance. and the children are Liable TO
criminal madness or physical and intellectual
degeneration. The vitality of the country is
therefore asSailed. for all this contributes to
depopuiation and national decline. \ series
OF repressive measures is urgently required,
and the nope Is consequently expressed that
steps viii be taken by the authorities TO put a
stop to the sale OF adulterated liquors and to
the artificial fabrication Of wine and other
beverages; for IL IS no secret that any amount
OF so-ealIed wine is manufactured which is
totally innocent of the juice of the grape and
that the same abuse is practiced in the pro-
duction OF nearly every other liquor.
So then it may not be said that vine
growing and wine-ex pressing have kept
France temperate State. At the same
time it is not probably fair to charge the
growth of intemperance there wholly to
wine making and drinking. 1t appears
to be mainly due rather to the coming
into use of spirituous liquors, and to the
fabrication OF wines and their adultera-
ton and general misuse in treatment, TO
satisfy the greed of the money nerve.
This may not be an accurate conclusion,
but from all we can CLEAN upon the SUBJ
ject it would seem to bear out the idea
that the use of French wines has not
been the immediate cause of the drunk
enness to which the French people have
come in recent years. There are temper
ance advocates even in France, who hold,
however, that 1t is the wine drinking
that has really led up to the spirit drink
ing OF the present. This, however. does
not seem to be fortified, since for GEN.
turies France has been a wine grower and
consumer. but not until within the last
decade has the evil of drunkenness from
spirit consumption and the custom Of
perpendicular drinking become so prom
insnt as TO demand the attention that
they are now receiving.