Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-09-01
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ALCOHOLIC PERIL OF FRANCE
Drink Evils Deadly Work In Provinces
-Absinth Taking Firmer Hold Of
People Every Year.

which he was faced ia a proposal to
suppress the privilege accorded to pri-
vate distillers, who in provincial
France still provide good deal OF the
alcohol which under various names
quantities NJ Rouvier's proposals
will in all probability become a law.
and the private distillers will be sup
pressed. But the Temps points out
that, though the French treasury may
expect its revenue to Increase by such
a measure, since the private distillery
had no duty to pay. yet there are 9TH
er reasons which initiate against the
adoption of this proposal and which
the Temps unites under the head OF
'"The Alcoholic Peril" 1t says that
the French countryman will certainly
not modify his drinking habits any
more than he can alter his inevitable
parsimonious character Under the
old regime he at all events drank
good spirits. whereas under the new
regime. though the spirits may have
come from the licensed distiller. 1t Is
of such a character that its effect
upon the health of the inhabitants is
most disastrous.
In Normandy. says the Temps. every
one who is not absolutely beggar ut
noon takes a cup Of coffee freely d.
luted with cider brandy. This cider
brandy costs the private distiller from
franc and q half to two francs per
liter, and yet In towns spirit which
has paid duty both to the government
and to the local authorities can be
purchased for franc a liter The
Temps admits that this concoction
may be a marvel of chemical science.
but it's moral and physical effect upon
the consumers is disastrous. Taking
the town of Caen, in Normandy. as an
instance, this journal says that before
the law making the drink trade free
was passed there were 200 cabarets.
or about one for every ESQ inhabitants,
whereas today there are nearly 500
such establishments, or one for every
10 Inhabitants. The trade, however.
Is prosperous, for whereas In 1883 the
town dues paid on alcohol amounted
to 10000 francs they have now in
creased to $4,000 francs. or &C per
cent per annum. the population Of
crease. Last year in the Calvados de-
partment there were 1928 more
deaths than births. Crime and theft
are on the increase. as In 1880 the cor
rectional tribunals registered 1888
convictions. whereas last year they
noted 4.149.
The drink question. this journal
thinks. is not only fiscal one, but one
of national interest, and instead of en-
deavoring to realize the greatest pos
sible financial profit from 1t the Temps
thinks that the production and con-
sumption of natural and hygienic
drinks should be favored. while the
manufacture of spirits, the basis Of
which is badly rectified alcohol, should
be watched over and hindered in order
to combat that which constitutes a
social and national danger.
The drink beloved of the modern
Frenchman has had the misfortune to
attract attention itself. and the eye
of the political economist has fallen
upon 1t unfavorably. The French
budget has need of several millions of
francs If 1t is to approximate to
balance. and the amateur tax collect
ors, who presumably do not drink alb.
sinthe, have suggested to the finance
minister that he cannot do better than
put tax upon the liquid. 1t is point
ed out that absinthe pays no special
duty and is only taxed on the amount
of alcohol in 1t. The strongest absinthe
is Ave times as deleterious as ordi-
nary brandy: the weakest. that which
is sold In the drinking shops. is twice
or two and a half times as poisonous
as the brandy sold in the same places.
The argument therefore is that taking
three times as the average the du.1
on absinthe ought to be three times
as high as 1t is. and SO the hectoliter
ought to pay a duty of $50 francs In
stead of only 220 francs. The advo-
Gates of this Increased tax point out
that absinthe is only very rarely of
use incidentally. but that It's daily con-
sumption destroys the nervous system
and brings on epilepsy. paralysis and
madness. Every year more of the
stun is drunk in France. and 1t is
stated that to its use is due the great
mortality from consumption in the
French army. It is agreed that alb
sinthe is poisonous and that the
finances of France want a new and
productive tax, but 1t is doubtful
whether any minister will have the
courage to propose such a far-reaching