The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-12-11
THE REFORM IN EUROPE.
Progress of the Temperance Movement in
Russia and Switzerland.

Progress of the Temperance Movement In
Russia and Switzerland.
That the cause of Temperance ia
making favorable progress in Europe
is evident from The recent action of
various governments in regard to the
sale of ardent spirits. A new liquor
law goes into effect in Russia January
first, which, it is believed. win lead to
the closing of $4,000 drinking places.
The saloons will be closed and the sale
of liquors permitted only in limited
number of hotels and restaurants from
which license fee of about 1926 each
will be eXacted. In places remote from
the seat of government, where it is diff
ticult to exercise regular control, the
local authorities are invested with
power to raise the license of saloons to
the sum mentioned, to refuse license to
all persons whom they deem unfit to
hold them and to punish those who
commit any infraction of it. If the
Russian authorities enforce this law as
vigorously as they do most others on
their statute books it is probable that
the evils of intemperance will be great
ly diminished in Russia. Some meas
ure of despotic action would surely be
quite excusable in this instance.
The Government of Switzerland has
also taken hold of the drink question
in earnest. 1t has recently adopted an
amendment to the Constitution which
places the control of the liquor traffic
in the hands of the voters of the several
Cantons. 1t provides that the net in
come of the Federal Government of
Switzerland from the annual tax and the
customs duties upon alcoholic liquors
shall be distributed equally among
the CantOns according to population,
and the respective Cantons shall de-
vote at least 10 per cent. of this income
so received to further efforts for the
suppression of intemperance. This
amendment, it seems, is the direct re-
suit of an extended investigation of the
liquor traffic undertaken by the Swiss
Fl deral Council. The report of the
Council on the subject has recently
been given to the public, and the facts
were sufficiently alarming to arouse
the Government to immediate action.
Statistics show that in Switzerland
from 1877 to 1882, 254 on the average
died yearly from alcohol poisoning. OF
the patients in the insane asylums, in
the period from 1877 to 1881, 12@ per
cent. were victims of Incorporate
habits. The effect of drunkenness on
crime was ascertained by questions adj
dressed to all the local governments
and to houses of detention. According
to the answers received it appears that
of 1850 prisoners (2,173 men and
397 women), 941 men, as per cent.)
and SO women (23 per cent? were
habitual drunkards Replies to the III
quiries put to them were received from
only eight penitentiaries for the young.
These inquiries had special reference
to the habits of the children's parents.
1t results from the information given
on the subject that so per cent. of the
boys and 40 per cent of the girls were
the iseue of parents one or both of
whom were given to drink. Pauper-
ism was also found to be greatly ag-
gravated by intemperance. In Canton
Berne, where the authorities have given
great attention to the matter, II per
cent of the applications for relief owed
their Indulgence to intemperance. The
proportion in Vaud was 81 per cent,
and % per cent. of the destitute adj
mitted into the poor-hOuse of the latter
Canton in 1882 were drinkers by pro-
fession. IN y. Observer.