The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-08-23
FRENCH WINE TROUBLES.
Louis Windmuller Explains Cause OF
the Recent Outbreak.

the Recent Outbreak.
In The Independent there is an
article on the recent troubles in the
wine growing districts of Southern
France, contributed by Louis Wind
muller, an old New York merchant,
who has spent much time in the Midi
and is connected with several import
ant benevolent institutions in this
city.
After telling of the position Of
France among the wine growing
countries, Mr.. Windmuller explained
the Importance OF the industry to
the peasant farmers of the South OF
France. The early ravages of the
phylloxera were touched upon, and
the writer said that, as the produc-
tion OF the real wine had been re-
duced by two-thirds, adulteration be-
came a common practice.
The rich native wines were blended
with cheap foreign products and were
fortified" with potato spirits and
sweetened with beet sugar. The imi-
tation wines so produced were so
,
that many experts were deceived, and
ordinarily 1t was not until after the
liquor had been drunk that the de-
ceit was discovered. The article con-
tinues:
Meanwhile the hardy American
grapeviues, which could not be at
tackled by the phylloxera, were
10 oil ha
of the French vineyards; their yield
gradually increased and is almost as
large now as il has ever been. But
in the years of scarcity wine growers
had lost customers; they are now
confronted with an unsalableness of
their product caused by the success
full competition of substitutes for
wine, and by the compounds of the
adulterators who sell a spurious bev-
erage called wine, with a finer flavor
and superior color, at a price lower
than genuine wine can be made for.
When he could not for his hon
est liquor realize enough TO pay for
the barrels and was on the point
of starvation, the vintner blamed his
government for the poverty to which
he had been reduced. He believes
that the treasury winks at the falsi-
fiers who pay large portion OF the
millions which the French fsc an
nually gets for the duty on sugar"
Mr.. Windmuller compares the re-
cent revolution" with the whisky
insurrection in Pennsylvania in
1891, and describes the troubles. He
continues:
IF the laws of France punish adul-
terators of wine, they have not been
enforced with severity, such as pre-
walls in Germany. A dealer near
Mayence, who recently was caught in
the act OF selling spurious Johannis-
berger, had TO pay fine OF a thou
sand mark and to spend a month in
the workhouse. His watts were un-
tremendously hauled from his cellar
bins and emptied into the gutter.
"A resolution to infiict a similar
punishment on French wine adultera-
ers has recently been adopted by the
Chamber, and IL seems 10 have
calmed the minds of the insurgents
already. When conscientiously car
ried into effect II will satisfy he vint-
ners that their government at least
can no longer be blamed for their
distress; and when their dishonest
competitors are put out Of business,
they may find better market for the
honest Juice OF their generous grapes.
Such result would not alone benefit
all consumers OF wine. but IL would
strengthen the French administration
which has, by forbearance and wise
measures, accomplished It,"