The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-07-25

InteInpsrance Getting the Upper Hand In
the Empire.
SprinnfnLd Rep,lbLicdn.


The theory that the devotion Of the Ger
mans 10 beer saves them from the evils Of
intemperance Is being sadly exploded. The
last year has witnessed q considerable re-
vival Of temperance agitation In Prussia, In
regard 10 which our Consul. General at
Frankfort, Ferdinand Vogeler, presents such
interesting facts In the last bulletin Of the
State Department. The consumption Of
beer In Prussia has risen TO the enormous
amount Of SIC liters per head annually, aud
that OF ardent spirits TO ten or eleven liters
per head, far exceeding the American rate Of
consumption. The liter is q little larger
than the quart, so that the Prussian COM
sumption Of beer Is from twenty TO twenty
five gallons per head, against about ten gal
Ions In America; while the consumption Of
spirits there Is about three gallons against
one and half In this country, including
what Is used In the arts. These estimates
of the American consumption are derived
from the returns of the internal revenue Of
fee and may vary for different years. The
number Of open drinking saloons in Prussia
has Increased from 120, 900 in 1869 TO 165, 900
in 1880; ardent spirits we're sold In $4,000 Of
these, being one TO every l04 inhabitants. or
the crimes committed in FIVE years Al per
cent were committed under the influence Of
liquor and 30 per cent. Of the pauperism 10
due TO intemperance. In Germany II Is
clearly established, as IL is everywhere, that
the multiplicity Of saloons increases intern
perance.
The liquor laws Of the German States have
been slack under the Empire and the evil of
iDtemperauce has thus got the upper hand,
but recent debate Ia the Prussian House
Of Representatives on the guzzling OF Uni
yersity students and the activity Of temper
ance societies indicates a new awakening.
The Gottenburg system is under discussion,
but the tendency is more toward the Dutch
system, corresponding to our limited license.
A few years ago the alarming increase of in
temperance In Holland, from the multiplied.
ty Of grog shops, led TO the enactment Of
law 1xinga maximum number Of saloons
per capita OF the population for places Of va
rious dimensions. Cities Of $4,000 people or
more are allowed one saloon TO every 500
people; cities Of from 10000 to $4,000, one to
every 400; from 10000 to 10000, one to every
800, and all smaller places one to every $50.
Consul.General Vogeler thinks German
opinion favers this system.
1t is interesting 10 notice that Lars o.
Smith, the Swedish Brandy King" who has
turned temperance advocate, subscribes TO |
the doctrine that ''the fewer the public houses 1
the less drunkenness you will have; the more
places where men can drink, the more they |
will drink" lie is opposed TO the Gotten
burg system, which he says is corrupt, and
moreover promotes the consumption Of i'm
pure liquors. He made fight against 1t by
starting an opposition at his distilleries on
the river, near Stockholm, and carrying the
people TO his resorts free by steamer. The
Swedish brandy is distilled from potatoes,
and requires expensive rectifying. Mr.. Smith
favors the licensing Of few places at high
fees, 800 a year--and Is active In introdu-
cling savings banks, cooperative kitchens and
other institutions for the working class. He
has, perhaps, come TO the conclusion that he
has got to do deal Of good TO Offset the evil
OF his products. 3D."