The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-04-20
LATE FOREIGN NEWS.
POVERTY IN SWITZERLAND.
rhe Curse Brought Upon the Peasane by
Cheap French Tgraudy,


Cheap French Brandy.
"A London special Of the 18th says: Ar
extraordinary step was taken to-day by the
rederal Council OF Switzerland to promote
tue cause OF temperance. The measure
was forced upon the national Legislature
oy one OF the most severe, prolonged, and
lnteiiiSent agitations against the use OF al
conoiic drinks ever carried on In modern
ou'e; An incontestable array OF statistics
was last fall placed before the Council.
showing that since the era OF low duties
upon imported spirits their consumption
among the peasantry had so enormously
increased that the rate per capita was
greater than among any other European
people, and there had been in the same
period an exactly corresponding increase
In the improvidence and poverty OF the
people. The Federal Council appointed q
special official commission to investigate
INTO and report upon the entire subject.
ms body, after many weeks OF patient
labor, handed in its report yesterday.
This not only confirmed the allegations
| made by the temperance agitators, but
| supplemented them by official information
OF the most startling nature.
The commission state that in some dis
tricts OF switzerland where the peasantry
were formerly noted for their energy and
thrift large numbers OF the people have be-
come lazy, shiItless, and besotten, and
great numbers OF completeness have been
dissipatcd away, leaving behind q univer-
sal degree OF poverty Of q kind which
has engendered crimes OF violence COM
paratively unknown in these districts
formerly. They also aver that most
Of the unusual poverty which has
Of late been driving the young gene
ration by thousands TO America frem so
many OF the once prosperous sections OF
the State is directly traceable to the decay
brought about by the common habits Of
drunkenness introduced among the heads
OF families after The inauguration Of the era
OF cheap rum. The commission cite scores
OF cases in which entire estates have been
squanderedsaway by intemperance and its
consequent improvidence, leaving the chill
dren nothing but debt. pauperism. or fight.
"The chief devil" says the commits
SiOners, (which has done this disastrous
work. is the cheap brandy Of France.
This detestable drink has been allowed to
enter Switzerland under such an insignif.
cant duty as to offer q special inducement
to the manufacturers to make the utmost
possible out Of the inviting market. The
brandy agent has established his trade
in every place In Switzerland where
there is q human soul to drink. The
result has been this alarming increase
in brandy drunkenness. which has Of late
years grown upon our people, with it' at.
tendant curses. We find French brandy
selling everywhere in Switzerland at a
franc per litre. Its cheapness has enabled
1t to displace even the soup and the coffee
which formerly were doled out to the Ia
borers in the rural fields, and the French
brandy bottle is now found upon the Ia
BILE and in the cupboard in hundreds Of
peasants homes where formerly alcoholic
drinks were seldom, il ever, SEEM"
After long series OF such statements,
many Of them being Of an almost incredi-
BILE nature, the commission recommend
that the brandy-curse be exercised by some
extreme effort of the rational power, and
suggest duty so high that 1t viii prove
absolutely prOhibitory. The Federal Coun-
ell to-day read and approved the commits
sion's report. and resolved ut once to raise
the duty on all imported brandles to such
figure as will place their purchase be-
yond the means OF all laborers and peas
ants.