The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-10-08

lCorrcS DOuuence LODuQn
Now 10 come to the charge CT drunken
ness. 1t was no doubt 4 trying evil twenty
wears ago, and still the spirit-bottle plays a
prominent part wherever you 60 in Sweden.
Only three days ago on steamer saw the
brandy bottle en- the quarterback the whole
day, and one mans consumption was eight
"toddes " in Il single evening. But there
is much Improvement on the old days. OF
course have learned what l could OF the
Gothcnburg system. Mr.. Chamberlain has
made 1t so we'll known in England by his
advocacy that ! need not explain at any
length what the plan IS. But 10
make my report upon it clear | will
briefly say that it Is a system by which
the local authorities OF towns in Sweden
assume the control OF the wholesale
and retail consumption OF spirituous Ii
uuors. The sale is prohibited save at author
lied establishments. So far it resembles
our own system. But in Sweden all the
profit made by the sale over and above per
cent. is appropriated by the town. This at
once removes the motive 10 encourage en-
cess which actuates the drink se'Ier in Eng
land. The management OF the whole sale
in GothenbuIe is conducted by company,
who let out the various establishments 10
persons who must have the approval OF the
town council. Anything beyond the very
moderate profit Of per cent. does not 90
into the pocket Of the company, but into
the municipal purse. The seller gets only a
very small! share OF tue per cent, and con-
seauently the demand for spirit licenses
docs not even equal the supply. In Goth-
enburg siyty-three houses are permitted
not quite one per 1000 inhabitants-a very
moderate supply, but only thirly-seven are
now open. Like other monopolics, !
thought it must lead 10 illicit sale, but |
could lind no trace Of any such abuse, and
was assured it did not exist. The csta0-
ishments are permitted also to furnish food,
wine, ale, and porter. Drunkenness is
strictly prohibited; all houses are closed at
8 at night, and none are opened at all
from Saturday eveRing to Monday morn
ing. visited one or two OF them,
and / lunched ut one in the quar-
ter described as the most d.sor-
DERBY in Gothenburg. 1t was clean ana
quiet. The food was good, served on a
fresh white cloth, in a room hung with en-
cravings OF Gothenburg. An excellent
dish of meat and potatoes, with as much
bread as liked, cost me iourpence. Sailors
were nv only companions ut table. Tbey
were not only orderly but polite, and IN
none Of the looms in this or tue othef
establishments was there the sllShtest sign
OF excess. During my stay IN Gothen-
burg of several days, spent chleiiy IN stroii-
ing about the streets, | saw only thee
people the worse for liquor. There are,
however, objections to the system. Ii, so
to speak, legalizes drinking and makes
it respectable. In the old days man
Opposition would not enter drinking
shop: he has not now the same objection to
;.b
lection. Drunkenness is prohibited, but
drinking is sanctioned. While the system
is protection to the poor man against his
favorite vice, it is almost an encouragement
TO the rich. Then, again, the town profits
much By the surplus revenue which used
only to benefit the publican. The poor-house.
the school, the public gardens-in short, all
municipal institutions-are more easily
Nearly every town in Sweden
has adopted the plan. 1t has been IN force In
for over two years. Every
town is delighted with this new source OF
income. The profit Is SO pleasant 10 the
civic authorities that they may some DAY
forget that the founders OF the system only
sought to diminish the vice. They might
even 20 further and legalize in the same
way another and worse vice OF ciYlilza-
ton. But these dangers are at present only
while statistics show the pres
emit practical results TO be excellent. In
1854 twepty-one liters OF spirit were drank
per head Of the population; in 1876 only
len lIters were consumed, and since then, L
nm assured, there has been still greater
timinuuon OF consumption.
A good word for the biackbirdS Is thus
,poken by che NatchitoGhes Ua.) Pindica-
oy /" Orr farmers tell us that thousands OF
,lackbirds are swarming in the fields OF cot
O n and destroying the cotton-Worm as they
~ Very few worms eau be found 'webbed
80 ord Tie nIanfar feels pood.,T The de.