If I were asked to name the most powerful political class in modern France I should plump for the _marchand de vin_. The _marchand de vin_, the keeper of the little wineshop, with the zinc counter and the little tables with their stone tops beyond it, which is the equivalent of the English public house, is quite the most powerful electoral agent existing in France, and he is recognized as such by every French politician. At election times, or for that matter, at any time, no French politician can afford to neglect him, and he controls votes without number in every town, every village, and every district throughout the length and breadth of the country. So true is this that every Government is obliged to recognize the fact of the _marchand de vin’s_ importance, and each succeeding Government is put in the curious position, as it succeeds the Government before it, of being obliged, on the score of public morality, public health, and public well-being to discourage the consumption of strong drink in words, and to encourage it in act. There are laws in France which permit certain people to make and to sell alcohol. Governments from time to time have endeavoured to remove or to restrict the privileges which these manufacturers of alcohol enjoy, but they have never succeeded because the _bouilleurs du cru_ as they are called, are much too strong for them and much too strongly backed. Each succeeding Government knows, or if it does not recognize the fact at first, the fact is very soon made clear, that everybody connected with the wine and spirit industry must be conciliated if votes are to be obtained, and retained, and although France has for a good many years now called herself a republic she is really a monarchy under the thumb of a despot, whose name is King Marchand de Vin, and who is only nominally under the control of Parliament. Parliament controls the _marchand de vin_ nominally, perhaps, in France, but as the _marchand de vin_ elects the members who form Parliament, as the _marchand de vin_ controls and regulates the votes of the many-headed, the _marchand de vin_ reigns, and will continue to reign supreme, for France will not stop drinking wine till England abjures beer.