Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-12-22
THE BRANDY KING.
Efforts OF n swedish Monoro,let "a De-
bpuch his Couotry,ncu.


ichlcugo rimcs.l
\ few years ago "A novel attempt was
made To restrict the consumption OF
spirits In Sweden, which attracted
much attention nll over the world,
That country had for some time been
known as the most Incorporate In
Europe. The consumption of spirits
was appalling. rhirty-ilvo gallons OF
brandy We're drank annually ON an
average by each man, woman and
child OF the population. Tho spirit
distillerics averaged four TO each hun
drel inhabitants. A portion of the
wOrklnan's wages was usually paid Ia
brandy. The entiro population
seemed 10 hc falling victims 10 the ap.
petite for liquor, and the ruin aud
misery were widespread. In ordsr to
check the ravages OF iniemperance,
whit became known as the 'tothrn-
burg SYSTEM WINS introduced IN the
city which benrs It's nainc aud subse.
quenily extended TO Stockholm and
other large Swedish towns BY this
system tho municipalities took control
of all the public houses, and placed
tiem'in charge of suitable men. Bran
dy. beer, tea, coffee, etc, were sup
Atittt NtitAA iiNiNt ~ uili tilt aitfht'A wis
allowed handsome margin
uSeepting spirta, which he
was iorced TO sell nj cost. The cost Of
the brandy was Increased 30 the dealer
and IL wns made the object OF the
keepers of the municipal inverns 10
push the sale Of beer, ten, coffee etc.
Tho results OF the experiment have
fltttt as.It fh.. IA
Der of public houses at Stockholm,
with 10000 Inhabitants, having been
reduced TO eighty, aud IN G1thenbutg,
with 81 800 Inhabitants, To twenty
two.
An interesting paper IN a recently
issued series of British consular re-
ports gives Rn account Of a deter.
niined effort 10 break down the
Gothenburg system, which IL
being made By MIR. NJ. l.. @.
Smith, who IN known, II appears, as
the "brnndy king OF Swedeu.p He
has for many years practically control
led the dis.lllpTy interest, aud fills The
role Off monopolist with similar re-
turns Of fame and fortune 10 those
rcnprd by his American brethren. He
has suffered materially from the re-
tiufed consumption Of his product, re-
siliing from the operations Of the
Gothenbmrg system, and has therefore
determined TO destroy ~ Ills meth
ODDS are peculiar, aud his proepects Of
success seem 10 be good He first
Offered 10 supply all the public
houses Of Stockholm with
liauor. IN spite Of the fac. TINT lie
had previously pledged himeaif TO
mike no effort to 10 business In that
civ, This offer was declined, how
ever. wllerenpon be notified the Stock
holm workmen that he would furnish
them with I'LL the spirits they required
ut prices heretofore unhe1rd of upon
condition that they should not enter
any Of the municipal tnyefDr. To
take the place OF these institutions he
opened d number Of bcer-llonses. Not
being permitted 10 sell spirits
In Stockholm, he ran o steamer on
which he conveyed, free 81
charge, IBIS customers 10 lis distil-
lery. beyond the limits " the city. IN
order 10 induce the wofkinpnieD 10
become Ills patrons aud 10 assure his
ppwcr over them, he established 20.
operative stores, built cooperative
tsuencnt-bnllses, ard formed sick and
burial ,.liba. He already has y, 900
workn.eu enrolled, all Of whom liaye
pledged themselves not 10 enter the
hubble Iiotises conducted under tiie
| s;oibenhurg system. His co-
operative and pbilanthroplc pro
je,is are all portions Of ~
general scheme. which has for its role
Object tie destruction OF The GDtben.
l,crg systsn, the re-eslablisbment q
| his gigantic monopoly, aud tie feestor-
alton OF tie old policy Of free trade Ia
| Iiauor. lie is now hailed as not only
| the brandy king" but also the King
81 the wofkingmeB, ard Is fndaayor-
4 ing 10 obtain The support Of the gov
ernfuent ~ against the corporations
| by proposing 70 substitute for
tie proiii1 levied by tie municipal
nolppplisls upon ~ drink toid 40
tAeii shops, M Increased exclfs
duty. by which means the rsveni'e
now accrulng TO the municipalities
| would BE- diverted 10 the government.
This attempt 70 establish M odions
monopoly and At the same time u DE-
baucii a whole people Is certainly