Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1886-11-01
BEER DRINKING IN GERMANY.
A science Which Consists in Fashions
of Drinking.

49, --@0--~-N'
BEER DRINKING I'm GERMANY.
A science Which Consists in Fashions
of Drinking.
WASHINGTON, Oct 31.-Consul Tanner, of
Chemnitz, Sa1ony, in a recent report to the
State department presents some novel and
interesting statements about beer and beer
drinking in Germany and gives an insight
into the science of drinking as known and
practiced in that country. Mr.. Tanner has
been in Europe for some time and writes
from wide observation. He puts out his con-
illusions about intemperance in the United
States and his criticisms and the "blind, ira
tional and suicidal manner of drinking in the
United States, con idently and fearlessly."
Going on to describe the manner of drinking
in Germany and contrasting it with the
manner in the United States. Mr.. Tanner
observes that science may be carried into ev
erything, and then tells US that Germans
simply practice the science of drinking that
has been known in Europe for ages. This
science consists simply in the hardness of
drinking. All drinks are taken sip by sip,
half an hours time being consumed over
simple thing that Mr.. Tanner fears ridicule
for laying great stress upon it, and yet
on this one point, he thinks.
hinges question of vast Importance
to Americans. By this slow manner of
drinking the blood is aroused to greater act
ivity so gradually that there is no violent
derangement of the animal economy and SO
by slow drinking the German aceorning to
Consul Tanner accomplishes the object of
drinking and gives his animal economy
chance to say ''Hold, enough!' which only
slow drinking will do. Here is the
picture he draws of sober, slow
drinking Germany: "Cafes and drink
ing places in Germany places of
resort for families and gentlemanly deport-
ment is as much observed in this as in a ball
room The heads of the best families enter
them with their wives and children, call for
what they want and order beer or what not
for their children and they sit and pass
agreeable hour over their drinks. No swag
ger or loud or boisterous conduct is ever
seen. There is no stealing into these places
as if one were committing crime. At
many theaters and other places of amuse-
ment gentleman or lady can
indulge in a glass of beer or wine while the
performance is in progress, no notice being
taken of it. Woman unquestionably carries
purifying influence with her wherever she
goes and her presence in the drinking places
of Europe drives from them that low class
of vagabonds that hang around American
drinking places Hence one neaer sees a
drunken man in a cafe and rarely on the
street. Perhaps no better illustration of the
purifying influence of woman could be
found Cafes are open to all classes; but the
lower class seldom visit them; they would be
abashed by doing so, as much as they would
be by entering parlor where they would
meet refinement and elegant manners. There
are some exceptions to this rule III the larger
cities, but this is confined to cafes that are
well known and ladies avoid them, but there
are no drinking places in Germany
but what a lady may enter with
all propriety. Drunkenness is rare and
so rarely manlfests itself in
boisterous or belligerent manner, but more
frequently takes the shape of song, fun and
general pleasurable feeling of warmth, energy
and self-command and hence thos4 horrid
crimes that sometimes shock us in the United
States, are rarely heard of in Germany
After this pleasant picture Mr.. Francis
asks why there should exist such
a difference in the evils of drinking in
Europe and the United States and answers
this question by boldly asserting that it is
1nanifestly the result of drinking in vogue in
the two countries. As a whole the people
of the United Statas are the most temperate
in the world The consumption of intoxicants
in Germany per head is four times as great
as in the United States being in Germany
forty gallons per year and in the United
States less than ten, and yet there are thou
sand habitual. hopelessly habitual, drunk
erds in the United States to ten in Germany.
And this difference is against us according of
Mr.. Tanner mainly because the Germans
drink their beer slowly and in this country
we drink it fast and the facts and figures
seem to be on his side of the case.