19 NOVEMBER 1892, Page 18

The French Government is about to try an experiment which

will greatly interest our teetotal friends. There is little teetotalism in France, as it is opposed, not only to the traditions, but to the character of her people ; but there is much alarm among the educated at the increase in the habit of drinking concentrated alcohol, in the form of brandy, rum, and all the liqueurs poisoned with wormwood. The Government, therefore, proposes to abolish all taxation on the " hygienic drinks," wine, beer, and cider, and to recoup itself for the loss, which will be slightly above four millions sterling, by increasing the tax on spirits, extending it to cover spirits made on the farms, which, if consumed there, are exempt, and raising by nearly two millions the charge for spirit licences.

It is believed that the increased temptation to illicit distilla- tion can be defeated by fiscal severity, and though the brandy- making farmers will be annoyed, no one in France doubts that spirits ought to be taxed as highly as is safe. What France will then want is an improvement in the very cheap wines ; but there is an odd difficulty in the way. The moment a wine is much improved, a new demand sets in, and the wine ceases to be cheap enough for universal consumption.