The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-02-01
Temperance Reforms
Europe.

| CIVIL VI IL Is
quite certain that there is not pro-
portionately more drunkenness now
than there was hundred years ago,
but what there is of it is more
offensive to the finer sense of pro-
priety that is prevalent, and conse-
quently greater efforts are making
to find remedy. There is hardly
a European nation without its phil
anthropists working in the cause of
sobriety. Temperance societies
have been in operation in England
for fifty years, but they have been
lately increased in number, and
have adopted new modes of
proceeding. All ranks of society
have co-operaUed in the work. Mr..
| Gladstone has taken a deep interest
in it, and has even incorporated his
views on the subject in some of his
speeches IN Parliament, in which he
has expressed the hope that tea and
coffee cheaply supplied to the poor
would prove an efficient antidote for
the evil. Coffee houses where both
tea and coffee are sold have rapidly
multiplied in London and the large
manufacturing towns; and whether
for this reason, or some other, the
sale of intoxicating liquors has rap
idly decreased, as appears from re-
Gently published statistics.
While drunkenness is not on the
increase among the common people
in France, owing to the use of
cheap and not highly stimulating
wines, the consumption of such
| deadly poisons as absinthe is con-
stantly extending in Paris and other
large cities Of the country. No
organized opposition is so far made
to it, but its fatal effects are the
subject of frequent articles in the
medical journals; and the other
moral influences of the capital
which are none too numerous when
we consider the multiplicity Of its
Temptations, are indirectly brought
to bear to check the habit.
Italy has its temperance Or
, CARNATIONS, and in Germany, where
, drunkenness is said to be on the in
crease, public attention is being at
tracted to the subject. In West
phalia inn keepers are forbidden to
sell Intoxicating drinks to notori-
!; Gus drunkards. In Berlin it has
: been observed that crime is much
more common on Saturday and
Sunday, the two days when there is
, plenty of leisure and good deal of
! tipping, but no definite measures
; Of reform seem yet to have been
suggested.
Temperance reform is active IN
Russia, where one would least eX-
pect it. The climate of the country
is cold and the desire for strong
drink excessive. The peasantry
drink an unlimited amount of
vodki, and drunkenness is common
among the lower orders of the priest
hood, the lack of stimulating food
having considerable to do with
the development of the appetite.
The reformatory movement began
soon after the death of the late En-
peror, which was followed by a new
Outburst of inebriety that drew at
tention to the evil Statistics re-
garding it, which were published,
showed that in villages where rum
shops were numerous, a large per
centage Of the families were with
out either horse or a cow,
, which was equivalent to ut
ter ruin, while in adjacent viii
lagos where liquor was not sold, ev-
cry family enjoyed a degree of pros
perity. The principle Of local OPP
ton is strong in Russia. The gov
eminent took the initiative. A
temperance parliament was held,
experts were set to work, informal
ton was collected from all parts of
the empire, and the result appeared
in a recommendation to grant
licenses to only two kind Of drink
ing places-one for the sale of liquor
on the premises on the condition
that tea and coffee were also to be
! offered for sale, and the other for
, the sale Of liquor in bottles to be
taken home.
Village communeS were to be per-
mitted to forbid the sale entirely if
they desired. The national party, a
large portion of the press, the clergy,
: and many noble ladies and gentle
r men have lent their aid, and Wig
orouS effort will be made to give the
recommendations, which contain
Z many more details than those men
: toned, the form of law. Much has
! already been done in the way of re-
) form in the parishes by the surveil-
lance of public houses. These have
to be closed after nine o'clock. If
drunken men are found in them
they are taken home and admon-
ished, and if the offense is repeated
they are compelled to pay a small
fine. The prevalence Of these eff
forts at temperance reform indi-
Gates the broad channels in which
great moral influences work, and
shows how every excess carries in