Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-09-19

III Is n Well-knoWn tact that, during the nrst
half of the present century, Sweden was lit
orally deluged with liquors Col. Hagelstam
of Sweden, one OF the most careful statist-
clans, says, that in 1850, there were in Swe-
den A, 600 stills producing 3d. OOO 600 gallons
of brandy yearly, or ten gallons per head of
the then population. The criminal record of
Sweden for that time is without parallel in
modern history, and nearly ono-half of the
children born at Stockholm were illegitimate.
Since then q marvellous reform has taken
place. The very next year the reaction COM
menced and, in 1853 q special committee
was appointed to investigate the evil of in
temperance. In their report, this committee
expressed the sentiments of the people in
such words as these seldom, if ever, has
conviction so generally or unequivocally been
pronounced with regard TO the necessity Of
vigorous measures against the physical, eco
nomical and moral ruin with which the i'm
moderate use of spirits threatens the nation.
A cry has burst forth from the hearts of the
people, appealing to all who have influence,
n prayer for delverance from scourge which
previous legislation has planted and nourish-
ed" The result was the licensing act of
1855. It abolished domestic stills and fixed
the daily production of stills at not less than
172 gallons and not more than So, with an
excise duty of about twenty-four cents per
gallon. The right to sell liquors in quanti-
ties of three-ffths of gallon and up to 80
gallons was abolished, but no license was re-
quired for sales not less than 81 gallons.
The number of retail liquor shops is fixed nm
nually by the municipal authorities, subject
to the provincial governors confirmation
There are but two classes of licenses under
the license act One to groccrs and other
shopkeopers, for retail of liquors in quant-
ties not less than three-tonths of gallon /;
the other to public houses for small quanti-
ties, for consumption on or off the premises,
where, as condition of such license, food must
also be on hand for the customer. No sale Of
brandy is allowed in the country within three
quarters Of mile of a public auction, fair,
etc. or any occasion which brings together a
mass of people, except at regular meal times,
and then only to persons taking bona .fde
meals. On Sundays no sale is allowed dur
ing divine service, and it is left with the local
authorities, with the governors sanction, to
ON Sundays prohibit the sale of liquors alto
| gethcr On week days special license is re-
| quired for sales of liquor after 10 =. NJ. Sales
Of liquor to persons already intoxicated. or to
| youths, are forbidden. No debts for liquor
are recoverable by law. License is forfeited
on the second offence, and other punishments
| for breach Of license are by various amounts
| of fine, or terms of imprisonment Two.
/ NUNS OF tne income from lOWn lctnhth uIt
divided between the county treasury and the
county agricultural society. In the country
| it is divided among the county parishes in the
ratio of their populations. The result of this
law was a reduction from Il 900 stills. pro
ducing 10000, 600 gallons, in lSi9.5O, to Al
| stills, producing 4, 800, 600 gallons in lSG91O
| True, the law had proved only partially eff
fective, yet il the country districts the effect
was immediate aud great, and, US in Sweden
the country population comprises seven
eighths of the whole people, the law must be
considered great success in the main. Bu
the consumption Of liquors continued on q
fearful scale in the large towns, and it was IL
the hope of adequately meeting this evil, tina
the So called Gothenburg system was de
vised.
In 1868, the city of Gothenburg appointed
a committee to examine into the causes of in.
creasing pauperism, and this conlmittee's re
| port forms the basis of the Gothcnburg sys
tenn. The reform bill of lsjj directed eithe
the sale at auction of town licenses for tire,
years, or the formation of a company fo
three years, which company should pay
sum not less than that accruing had all the Ii
ceuses been issued to individuals. Upon Thu
clause the Gothenburg committee seized, ant
| recommended
|. That no individual. either as proprie
| TOT OF lnhnhBtT ulutT u puDllC uOuSc HCtuSt
should derive any private gain from the salt
of spirits thus abolishing all temptation un
duly to extend the consumption.
=. That liquor sales on credit or pawn
tickets be prohibited.
,. That the premises shall be well-lighted
clean and healthy.
4. That good food shall be furnished a
cheap rates.
In October, 1868, company was formed
The principles on which they were to act
were To improve the condition Of publi
houses by supervision of inspectors and po
lice, by employing only respectable person
as managers, and reducing the number of liq
uOr shops.
As important and competent testimony Il
the success Of the practical application of tn
Gothenburg system, we make brief extrac
from Alexander Bulfour's pamphlet of 1876
on License Reform" OF his visit to Goth
enburg in the fall of 1873 he says 1--WE Wis
tied numbers of public houses and found the,
were fitted up comfortably and more rescm
bled eating-houses than the public houses o
our own country. The streets ar
utterly free from drunken persons, and tn
behavior Of the people in every part of tn
town is marked by the utmost propriety an,
decorum. Such places as 'slums
we could not discover, and were assured tina
they did not exist No extrem
poverty was visible. The Gothen
burg system is based on two great princi
pies First, that in Gothenburg spirits shal
not be sold for private profit, but that tn
whole gain on their sale shall be devoted l.
public uses second, that the great aim o
those intrusted with the administration of tn
company shall be, not to increase the sale o
spirits, but, by every practicable means, t
diminish it, and so to regulate public house
that food, instead of intoxicating drink, sha
be bought in them"
The Gothenburg system was introduced i
Stockholm in October, 1877, and in recen
letter to the Howard Association, London
Mr.. Oliyekrona. judge of :he Swedish Su
preme Court, remarks 1T is progressin
most favorably. All the public officials Q
this metropolis are of the opinion that
has exercised very beneficial influence o
public morality "-BOstOn HraM.