The St. Louis Republic., 1901-01-06
Taxes on Wine, Beer, Cider and
Other Liquors, Described as
Hygienic, Are Removed.
EFFECTS OF THE REFORM.
Letter From Pope Leo, Protesting
Against the Proposed Religi-
Gus Law, Creates Much
Discussion.
BY u. CORNELY.

BY ". CORNELY.
SPECIAL BY CABLE
Paris. Jan. 5.-(COpyright. 1901. by the
New York Herald Company paris has
had. as a New Years present. the removal
OF the taxes on wine. beer. cider. etc, de-
scribed in the act as hygienic liquors. IL
one desires to find out the exact modifca-
tions brought about in the life Of Paris by
the reform. which dates from the first day
OF tho Twentieth Century. we need only
cite the three following facts:
In the cafes a petit verre Of abslnthe costs
10 centimes e cents) more
Those who sell wine sell 1t Is centines g
centsJ less per Htre
"A workingman's family, which CONSUMES
two htres Of wine per day. will henceforth
save lli francs 422.sD per year by the cut
ting on of the octrOi duties.
This lessening OF the revenues Of the citv
which amounts 10 100000 francs IS. 500 OoO,.
Will be made up by taxes on property. which
Will finally fall on rents. for one only needs
follow the advice Of La Beche one Of who's.
characters was advised to demand more
from taxes and less from the taxpayer As
expenditure increases every year, 1t is i'm
possible to abandon any OF the sources of
revenue; they only change their places
All the same this is a step forward Tho
1900 francs of amortesable rents is also
progress. for the sinking fund is now work
ing directly for the first time since our re-
verses. in 1870.
The Major Cuignet Case.
This Is one of those events which the
opposition press always pass over in silence.
They have a much freer hand when they
discuss the case Of Major Cuignet. The
council OF inquiry which assembled to con-
sider the guilt of this officer was of the
opinion that he had not committed any
grave fault against discipline. and that he
should not be cashiered. General Andre.
therefore. inflicted on him only sixty days
Imprisonment in the fortress
The friends of the Minister OF War admit
frankly that he should have begun where
he ended but his enemies go too far when
they pretend to believe that the council of
inquiry desired above everything 10 indulge
War
II It were so. this would be proof that
these courts-martial would never aquIt or
condemn according TO the innocence or guilt
OF the persons before them. but they would
always take sides for or against the Min
isters. which would reduce the French
army to the lowest point in the military
scale Our officers really do not deserve
this slander.
Protest From the Pope.
The religious papers have this week pub
nshed a letter addressed by the Pope 20
the French Parliament. through an inter-
mcdiary. Cardinal Richard. In this he pro-
tests In advance against the impending law
which is to settle the fate OF congregations.
1t has been pointed out that no direct in
tervention OF the sovereign pointiff took
place when laws much more severe on The
church were discussed and enforced such as
the military service law, which hinders TO
very great extent recruiting the Frerch
clergy. and also the educa tion laws which
interfered greatly with religious Instruction
ON the other hand. the future law inter
feres only with the right to possess prop
erty.
. Are We to believe. as Is rumored, that this
Intervention is due to the fact that Father
Gadeau. member of one of the orders
against which the bill Is aimed-the order
OF Jesuits-is charged with drawing up all
the pontifical documents destined for
France? NJ. Barthof has a Jesuit for his
secretary. and he II is who has written to a
review letter intended to show that If the
Cabinet remains in power liberalism will
die. and there will no longer be peace for
anything but cler'calism and collectivism.
These are vain phantoms. Neither clerical
ism nor collectivism can triupmh in a cOun-
try which has given birth to NotaIre in q
country in which the landed proprietors are
more numerous than in any other country
in the world They forget. truly. that France
Is a country Of common sense and OF wit
which were celebrated in the last days Of
the century. the evening that the Comedie
Franchise returned to Maison de Moliere.