The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-06
GOTHENBURG'S PLAN.
How the Liquor Problem Is Met in Sweden
A System That Works Satisfactorily.

GOTHENBURG'S PLAN.
How the Liquor Problem Is Met in Sweden
A System That Works Satisfactorily.
Robert P. Porter, in Philadelphia Press.
"Well." said Mr.. Hedlund ''the Swedes, as
you doubtless know, drink good deal of brandy.
With the exception of Denmark, and perhaps
the Netherlands, we consume per capita greater
quantity of spirits than any other country in the
world. 1t is needless for me to discuss the cray
ing for brandy and its immoderate consumption
in Sweden. Until within comparatively recent
time every landowner in Sweden possessed the
right to distill Swedish brandy, spirit distilled
from grain potatoes, containing so per cent. of
alcohol. The country was on the verge of ruin
from the deluge of spirits pouring forth from
myriads of small dstlleries. There was well
nigh a public house in every cottage
What was the first step to remedy this con-
dition of affairs"
in 1855 new laws for regulating the distilling
and sale of spirits came into force The object
was to increase the difficulty of procuring intox-
icating drinks. By this law we Obtained what
the United States has always enjoyed, local OPP
ton. 1t was left to the community to decide,
not only in what manner and within what limits
it should be carried on, but even whether it
might take place at all within their jurisdiction.
This paved the way for the Gothenburg system,
as it is termed"
''How did that originated"
'"The laws of 1855 did not reach the core Of
the question: especially in the towns The rural
districts were undoubtedly benefited. Drink
threatened to sap the life blood of the towns.
Holidays and Sundays, troops of drunken people
might be seen Keeling about the streets of this
very town, while within the saloons the
most deplorable and scandalous scenes
were enacted. With population of about
80, 600, nearly 3. 500 persons annually ar
rested and fined for drunkenness-ten per cont,
of the population arrested; but these figures do
not give an adequate idea of the evils arising
from immoderate brandy drinking They must
be looked for in the nature and extent of pauper
ISM in the deplorable, physical, moral and
economic condition into which the greater part
of the poorer population, not only Of Gothen-
burg, but all the towns of Sweden had been
plunged. Conscious of this condition Of affairs,
and being at the time member of the munich
pal council of Gothenburg, 1 introduced reso
luton, March 81, 1864, proposing to appoint
committee for investigating the actual condition
of pauperism in the town. A year later the
committee presented, with it's report, a plan of
"a new system for organizing the liquor traffic
in Gothenburs'"
''At the time of your investigation and report
what was the condition of the working classes
of Gothenburg2"
''We satisfied ourselves that incompetence is
not caused by the cravings of a coarse sensuality
alone. That treacherous quality of brandy to
warm, if but for time. the shiyering and thinly-
clad Frame to assuage the cravings of hunger,
to stimulate the failing strength of the over
worked and poverty-Strcken, are reasons both
temperance reformers. Squald, unhealthy
dwellings, wretched clothing, poor and insuf1i-
Gent food, all these combined produce state of
detection and debility, moral and physical,
consider a leading cause of the drunkenness
among the poorer classes suffering as they do
from want and manifold privations.'
"Were the homes Of the working classes very
miserable2'
eyes, deplorable. We found the working
mems homes of this otherwise favored and pros
porous community destitute of fresh air, suf-
ficient space and protection from the incle1oency
of the climate to degree, in many instances,
which only personal inspection could have con-
WINGED US of. They were badly clothed, and the
food was Of the poorest quality. Most of the
meager wages found their way to the public
house The liquor dealers, rule, made large
fortunes out of the traffic which pauperzed
considerable portion of the community"
''How did the idea that the town should I'M
dertake the sale of liquor first occur to the COM
mitteel'
'1n the first place, we had little faith in the
various plans proposed, which, you know, vary
from high license and limiting the hours of sale
to prohibition. One of the strongest arguments
for keeping up public houses, at least to GER
tain amount, was that there must be sufficient
number or places where workingmen can pur-
chase food. This is likewise brought forward as
weighty objection to Sunday or holiday clos
ing. This undoubtedly suggested the idea of
turning the saloons into eating houses, and MAX
ing the sale of drink incidental"
How was this donel"
''By transferring the saloon license to a COM
pany consisting of persons who engage in the
undertaking, not for the sake of the profit. but
solely for the good of the working classes. The
members of the company cannot lay claim to
any profits, which, soon as all expenses of
management, as well as per cent annual inter
est on the capital invested in it by the share
holders, have beer paid shall DE annually made
over to the town treasurer"
''To what purpose does the town devote these
profts2"
''To the establishment and maintenance of
institutions for the exclusive benefit of the
working people"
'Then the money is not r, garded as whisky
licenses areas part of the revenue of the mu-
nicipalitylp
NO. it has been expended in establishing
better public schools and dwellings for working
men; in laying out spacious park, and in other
ways exclusively for the benefit of the poorer
classes"
What has been the effect of the systemfn
at has reduced the number of public houses
from about sixty TO twenty FIVE, and these de
facto eating houses are healthy, light and roomy.
Relatively speaking, the annual arrests for