The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-11
How the Liquor Question May he
SOlXcd in England.

remarkable change in the method OF
dealing with the evils Of intempcrance is
now moOtcd in Great Britain. II is pro-
posed in the most influential quarters to
introduce in moro or less modified form
the wcll-known Gothenburg system, by
which the sale Of liquors is made munich
pal monopoly. This proposal comes from
select committee OF the House Of Lords,
appointed two years ago 10 investigate the
various modes of controlling the liquor
traffic, aud their deliberate preference for
the Gothenburg plan is affirmed in the re-
port just issued.
Among the preliminary questions consid-
cred by tho Committee. and as 90 which
they collected the most exhaustive evil
denoc, was the physiological use Of alcohol.
On this head the testimony was 50 conflict
ing that, according 10 the report, no theory
as to the dietctic or medicinal properties OF
this agent is as yet SO generally accepted
by tho medical profession as To warrant its
adoption as the basis of legislation" That
such q decision should have been reached
after II protractod aud careful inquiry, az
sisted by the most distinguished physicians
Of the United Kingdom. ought, in the judy
ment Of the Committee, to quiet for a time
some troublesome controversies, or at least
to postpone prohibitive measures until
more definite verdict can be obtained from
medical experts.
Besides the investigation OF this problem,
an attempt was made 10 elicit and Interpret
all the facts bearing ON the alleged increase
Of drunkenness in Great Britain. There is
no doubt that the statistics quoted in this
report show the expenditure per head for
intoxicating liquors TO have risen from
! Sl4GJ to S22 IS between the years 1860 and
1876. But it turns out that the consumption
~ meat has expanded In nearly the same
ratio, and that the use of tea, sugar, and
tobacco has increased far more rapidly than
: that Of SPIRITS or beer. II would appear,
therefore, that the expansion ~ the liquor
traffic was due mainly 10 the rise in wages
which occurred during the period named
| The Committee however, Rre by no means
disposed 60 bcllttle the amount Of drunken
moss which prevails in the large towns and
! in the mining districts; and it is because
| they deem the present means Of restriction
! insufficient t. control the evil, that they
recommend the adoption Of a license system
modelled on the Gothonburg plan
| So far as the proposed scheme varies from
/
suggested by Mr.. CuAMBERLAIN in n bill
LAID before Parliament rather moro than
u year ago. The town councils Of all
borougLa in the United Kingdom are to be
empowered to acquire by agreement, or if
need he, by compulsion. the freehold of all
licensed premises within their respective
districts, and TO purchase the interest Of
existing holders In leases, good Will, stock,
. L..
to conduct the trade thus acquired, II thcy
sec fit, but 80 that no individual shall de-
rive any profit from the sale Of Intoxicating
liquors. It Is worth noting that the Town
Council % Birmingham has already sgnl-
fed, by a majority Of i6 to 10, It's readiness
to carry out this project.
Tho advantages of such q system are OBJ
vious enough In the first place. the control
over the issue OF licenses would be vested
in tho local authority, which, if IL chose
could stop the sale OF liquors altogether.
At all events, tho number ~ public houses
would probably be greatly diminished, and
marked Improvement IN the soundnea5
and quality Of the articles sold would be- IN
surcd. BY n proyiso too, copied from the
Swedish pattern. that each licensed shop
should keep a supply OF food, tea, coffee,
and other refreshments, it Is expected that
the drinking houses would be- gradually
transformed into places Of relatively harm-
loss resort. Moreover the elimination Of
tic influence Of retail liquor dealers from
elections is reci,uncd not the least important
gain to bo looked for from the now system.
Finally, a good deal may be said for SIR.
CilAMHERLAlk'5 suggestion of intru5tng
the sale OF liquors directly to municipal
officials instead OF dceGatiug the privilege
to n semi-priyate corporation MS at Gothcn-
burg. Whore the experiment is tried for
the first time, and on an immense scale, it
is probable that greater security for tho
proper conduct OF the business might bo
afforded III the management were committed
10 a representative authority, subject
30 public control and criticism. There
would plainly be moro safeguards against
maltcasauco under such an arrangement
than in the concession OF 70 lucrative monop-
oily TO company, although the latter
might have been originally established on
purely phlanthroplc grounds,
OF course such system offers scope for
objections both to the prohloitionists and I'll
the friends Of the liquorintcrost hemuc,
arc upprehonsiYc Chat many town counails
would absolutely forbid the sale Of liquors.
while the former point out the danger chat
the temptation Of profit might induce the
municipal authorities to multiply the num-
Der and attractions Of drinking places. An
} objection Of even greater weight might bt
based ON the unquestionable unntnoss OI
} many municipal boards TO transact so vast
business with honesty, economy, and dis