The Monte Vista journal., 1898-10-22
FRENCH DECADENCE.
EXPLANATION OF 1T ~ A
FRENCHMAN.
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france 10 In trouble ABOUT her soul.
She is hiled with vague and unrealizsd
desires. says the London Mall. Not
content with her wealth and capacity
for happiness. which might inspire
envy in the breast Of the most AFRO
CANT Anglo-Saxon. she still sighs fsr.
what she has not. and dreams Of an
empire across the sea. Is though her
own country were q heritage not worth
the keeping. She feels the need Of ex-
pansion. 20 say her philosopher, and
she cannot satisfy her need. The Al
lance with Russia proved for awhile
An Arrangement Of grief. but the Inn
perial bond 10 becoming irksome, and
the voice Of France is once more raised
In lamentation. Paris Is destroying
the provinces. says one. by attracting
all the talent Of the country to her
boulevards: the Jews are destroying
the whole country. says another, by
putting all her money into their gaping
pockets. But never did pessimism dis
cover 80 strange q complaint as that
set forth by M. Demolins in his recent
book. Les Francais d'Aujourd'hui."
For this professor has made a study
OF the modern Frenchman and declares
that he is ruined by the fertility Of his
country's soil.
That. indeed, though he would no.
allow 1t, Is the conclusion of his argu-
ment. France. says he. is heading
straight for decadence: she is follow
Ing Greece. Italy. and Spain into the
night OF hopeless obscurity. and she
owes her failure to the baleful effect
Of generous soil upon her character.
He has examined the provinces one
BY one. and wherever his travels have
led him he has found only one ominous
content. The English, unable to grow
their own corn. are wont to deplore the
sad condition OF the farmer. NJ. De-
molins travels into Touraine or Cas-
cony and sheds tears OF bitter grief
over the fertility Of the vineyards. The
vine. he declares. has ruined France
and depraved the French character.
Not that he brings charge Of
drunkenness against his countrymen:
they. at least. are not driven by an
inclement climate to the solace Of the
bottle. No. the vice OF the grape is
Tar less obvious than the teetotaler
would suppose. In the first place, 1t
yields handsome profit for 4 small
outlay. and that is the beginning OF
Its wickedness. Once the vine Is plant
ed 1t goes on year after year niling
the pocket Of the peasant In return
for . modest investment and little
labor. Moreover. its cultivation may
be undertaken by small proprietors.
who need neither be exploited by cap
italists nor undone by the purchase
OF complicated machinery. So that
under Its influence France has become
the country OF small holdings and has
thus achieved without any Intervention
the benehcent result which years OF
legislation have failed to effect In 9TH
Or countries.
But. says N. Demolins. the result Is
not benedcent At all. As the vine
may be grown and pressed without
elaborate machinery its cultivation is
bad for trade" And its Immoral In
nuence Is still worse. An easy pros
perity renders the family unstable and
converts the young into monsters Of
cruelty. The old men are thrust out
and their wealth infamously stolen,
until every village in Touraine pro.
vides the material for another traSedy
OF Lear. Again, an easy livelihood
produces leisure. another vague dream
OF the legislator. and leisure brings
In its train improvidence and luxury.
NJ. Demolins asserts. though we can
hardly believe It. that In the Herault
the women cover themselves with orn.
aments. And II this Indictment be
true. It Is clear that the grape is
frances wors. enemy. In good
years." says this extraordinary phil
osopher. the vine gives considerable
profits" and this Is suficient reason
to deplorc Its existence!
But the worst Ia not yet told. The
vine exercises, also. = debasinr iplu-
ence upon public life. II makes for
equality and those democratic virtues
for which we have been told the blood
OF France was shed and for which a
king lost his head upon the scasfold.
II is droll enough to hear q French.
man deplore the spirit OF equality: II
ID droller still to hear II ascribed TO the
cultivation OF the grape.
In literature the same unhappy ef.
feet IL visible. Rabeluis and Baiyac.
born In Touraine. are true sons OF the
grape. and they were both caustic.
hippant and unkind. In fact. they
looked upon the bitter side Of life and
though the world has regarded them As
men Of genius. n. Demoiins dcplor.s
their satire. and believes that II only
Touraine had enjoyed an ungratefui
soil these heroes might never have
been born. In fact. what We have
always believed the glories Of Franc.
are her shame. and It IL only when the
grape IL turned into brandy that NJ,
Demolins admits It's excellence. For
the manufacture Of brandy requires
machinery. and machinery demands
cooperation. And Il IL by eo.opera-
tion that France shall be saved from
thu consequences OF her own prosper.
ity.
Brittany 10 not cursed with the vine.
yet this province fares no better At
the hands Of n. Dcmolina. The IRE.
tons srow cattle and catch Ash. and
a IL