Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1904-12-09
Ten Years Work In France.


nation in France is the history of
decade. Until a very few years ago
there was no reformation, no recog-
milton of the evils which the alcohol
ization Of the country had brought in
its train. But there is reforming
tendency at the present day. The re-
markable recuperative power of the
French people, shown at periods when
they have seemed to be permanently
pushed out of the front place among
nations has often been made the sub
ject of reference. and there arc now
signs that this country, which is by
far the most alcOhOllzed In Europe,
has turned the corner. Only ten
years ago the professors began to
talk. but in that short space of time
their efforts have borne fruit. Since
1900 the consumption of liquors has
steadily diminished. The chief efforts
In this direction have been made by
DR.. Legrain of Paris, to whom we are
indebted for nearly all the material
in this section.
Until a hundred years ago the
ly I'm the form of fermented beverages.
1t was the Revolution which, permeat-
ing the whole country, brought the
men of isolated districts together,
and spread the habit of brandy-drink-
ing throughout the country. The new
conditions demanded meeting-places
for the emancipated peasantry These
l,.f
drinking shops, in which brandy be-
gan to be sold instead of wine. After
this IL was discovered that brandy
could be distilled not merely from
grapes but out of anything capable of
fermentation, such as beets, potatoes
and fruits. This brandy, produced at
a trifling cost, was consumed largely
Next came the liqueurs, subtle blends
of distilled essences and, finally, the
baneful absinthe which, slipped by
every workman before breakfast, be
came a national habit and has
wrought more harm probably than all
the other drinks combined.
Despite the condition of France, no
movement against intemperance exist
caise de Temperance (French Tenn
perance society, was established by
a number of savants, TO study the phe-
nomcna of drunkenness. But this So
ciety had nothing more than scien-
tic interest in the problem. It's only
good work was the passage of law
ageinst drunkenness in public places,
diplomas and some numbers of a
newspaper, "Le Bon Conseiller." IL
came to an end in 1883, to be re-
vived in 1894
1t was not until 1895 that the
French began to be interested in the
temperance reform. In June of that
year the Society Against the Use Of
Spirituous Beverages was formed,
chiefly through the efforts of DR.. Le-
grain. Its name was afterwards
changed TO the French Anti-Alcohol
union. The object of this society was
to secure public support by individual
| enterprise, as opposed to theorizing
or endeavoring to influence the legis.
lature to pass restrictive measures.
IL CNdCltu lOldl abstinence from SplT-
ituCus beverages, and moderation in
the use of fermented liquors. BY en-.
| tire decentralization, the proposal of
| Or. Legrain, the individual branches
of the society were left TO their own
initiative, with gratifying results. Un.
| th the wear 1902 the society contained
in itself almost the whole history OF
temperance activity in France. the
work of the Blue Cross beinS merely
| curative and not preventive.
To-day public interest is undoubted
| ly aroused. A notable sign of the times
is a circular Of the governor director
of railways, sent out in 1902 to the
different temperance societies, stating
that all employees who persisted In par
taking of alcohol while on duty would
be dismissed, and that all who con
tinucl to drink would be dropped from
the pension rolls. Partial abstinence
alone has so far come before the pub
| lie, but the remarkable results of ten
years of serious agitation lead to the
belief that the question of total alb
stinence will shortly find many sup
pOrters in France.