River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-09-04
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, perhaps the most remarkable
Scandinavian of his time. Although
his eldest daughter is about to be mar
ried to the son of the president Of the
swedish House of Lords thereby allay
ing him to one of the first families IN
Sweden, few men carry out the extreme
democratic principle with such unspar-
ing thoroughness as Lars Olsen Smith.
To hear HIM talk, either in explaining
his plans of the future or II describing
what he has already accomplished, re-
calls "reminiscences of the heroes Of Dis
raeli's novels.
Mr. Smith is man who has been the
largest manufacturer of spirits IN Swed-
en-, and is now the most energetic apos-
tie of temperance in northern Europe;
an idealist capable of dreaming of the
regeneration of society and yet a hard
headed man of business: a proSaic look
ing, sturdy. plebeian, too independent
to allow anyone to assist him on with
his overcoat, Mr.. Smith is, nevertheless
at this moment practically debating to
the parliament of his native country an
entire reversal of its Legislation as to
the sale of strong drink, and is engaged
in gigantic experiment which, If sue
cessful, will render Sweden, the para
disc of the social reformer. This man,
who once was the terror of the brandy
makers of Sweden, who rugged the mar
ket, controlled prices aud conducted his
financial operations with the nerve of
Vanderbilt and the daring OF a Gould,
is now carrying on campaign against
the social evils of his time with the
same energy, directness of purpose,
and keen 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, a typical, Northman, he
is a cosmopolitan of the latest modern
type He speaks seven languages, and
is at home in almost every country In
Europe His daughters are at present
in Paris; one son has just taken his de-
gree at the Polytechnicum at Zurich,
and is now studying the social question
in the United States; the other, who is
with Mr.. Smith in England at present,
is student of Stattswissenchaft," at
the university of Tubigen. AT this mo-
ment Mr.. Smith has agents scat
tered over the continent, studying in
every land the latest experiment for
ameliorating the condition of tho people
and gathering wherever they can be
found hints and suggestions for the So
luton of the great social problem. Mr..
Smith himself is indefatigable.
To-day he will have an interview with
Mr.. Chamberlain tomorrow he will
proceed to Manchester to investigate
in that city, in Liverpool and in Roch-
dale what has been done IN Lancashire
to improve the condition of the working
population. Nor has Mr.. Smith, with
all his researches, accumulated so many
facts as to be bewildered 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 ideaas to how
the world might be regeneratel, or how
society might be reyolutionized, than
this hard headed millionaire philan-
thropist, who has worked out his theories
in practice and is able to substantiate
his widest assertions by all array of
facts and figures such as is usually con-
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 al
cohol.