Morning journal and courier., 1884-06-24
Sweden's Brandy King.

Lars Olsen Smith, the brandy king of Sweden, who is at present at London, is one of the most remarkable men of his age, per haps the most remarkable Scandinavian of his time. Although his eldest daughter is about to be married to the son of the presi- dent of the Swedish House of Lords, thereby alIying him with one of the first families in Sweden, few men carry out the extreme dem- ocrat'c principle with such unspariug thoroughness as Lars Olsen Smith. To hear him talk, either in explaining his plans of the future or in describing what he has al ready accomplished, recalls "reminiscences of
 he heroes of Disraeli's novels.
 MT. Smith is 8 man who has been the largest manufacturer of spirits in Sweden, and is now the most energetic apostle of temperance in northern Europe; an idealist capable of dreaming of the regeneration of society, and yet hard-headed man of busi ness; @ prosaic-lookirg, sturdy plebeian, too independent to alloE anyone to assist him on with his overcoat, MT. Smith is, nevertheless, at this moment practically dictating to the parliament of his native country entire reversal of it's legislation to the sale of strong drink, and is engaged ia gigantic eX- pertinent which, if successful, will render Sweden the paradise of the social reformer. This man, who once was the terror of the brandy makers of Sweden, who rigged the AAEk0G, COuIEOllGO pEAC0S1 hhu COANuCLcA AAo financial operations with the nerve of 8 Van derbilt and the daring of Gould, is now carrying on a campaign against the social evils of his time with the same energy, direct ness of purpose and keen practical sagacity that distinguished him in the days when he was building up the gigantic fortune which he is now dedicating to the amelioration of the condition of his countrymen. A SWede of the Swedes, typical Northman, he is a cosmopolitan of the latest modern type. He speaks seven languages, and is at home in al~ most every country in Europe His daughters re at present in Paris; one son has just takena his degree at the Polytechnicum at Zurich, and is now studying the social question ln the United States; the other, who is with MT. Smith in England at present, is student of 'StattsEissenchaft," at the university of Tubigen. At this moment MT. Smith has agents scattered over the continent, studying in every land the latest experiments for ameliorating the condition of the people and gathering up wherever they can be found hints and suggestions for the solution of the great social problem. MT. Smith himself is indefatigable.
 To-day he will have an interview with Mir. Chamberlain; tomorrow he will proceed to Manchester to investigate in that city, in Liverpool and in Rochdale what has been done in Lancashire to improve the condition of the working population. Nor has Mir. Smith, with all his researches. accumulated so many facts as to be bswlldered In the midst of his stores Of knowledge. He has not put so many books on the top of his head as to crush out his brains. On the con- trary, we have never met any Utopist who entertained clearer idea as to how the world might be regenerated, or how society might be revolutionized than this hard headed mil ionsire philanthropist, who has worked out his theories in practice and is able to sub- stantiate all his widest assertions by an array of and fi0uraa nueh a uauallV GOD. fined to the pages of Blue Book. He is no longer Brandy King" He has Abdicated, and is now waging war to the death against the consumption of alcohol.