The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1892-10-12
THE aoTHENBuRa SYSTEM.
Sketch of this Famous Plan for the
Diminution of Drunkenness.

EDITOR BULLETIN:-
In spite of the praiseworthy exer-
lions of the Blue Ribbon League, |
Good Templars and other total alb |
stinence societies to free the world |
from the evils of the drink demon,
it is yet tolerably settled fact, that
the public in general cannot be kept
from drinking alcoholic drinks, and
it is very much disputed dogma
whether the temperate drinking of
alcoholic beverages is good or bad
for the human constitution in gen
eral. Let us suppose it is bad we
cannot stop it; then let us abate it
and make it the least possibly objec-
tionable. Not only thousands but
millions of people are of the same
opinion as we, that good alcoholic
drinks taken temporarily, so that
they do not interfere with mans
family and business affairs or the
public, is not an Objectionable luxury.
A man is entitled to that luxury legi-
timately, as we'll as obtaining easy
chairs and spring mattresses legiti-
mately. This theory is quite we'll
settled in the minds of a great part
of the governing people of our
try, but there has been great dis
agreement as to the best way to
furnish the people with alcoholic
drinks in such manner, that it
should not be obnoxious to the non
drinking part of the public in gen
eral, and it is this that has prompted
us to offer the following suggestions:
Before 1884 saloons were only
licensed in Honolulu, but that year
a law was passed to license saloons
in every district of the islands, and
saloons were started in the more
populous districts. Some of these
saloons, which were run in proper.
manner, are in existence yet, but the
most of them are closed up; they
were often run by natives, who are
utterly unfit for such a position, and
the saloon was in consequence run
in such manner that it was dis
grace to the community, and petit
tions were sent by the law-abiding
people of the district to have the
license cancelled or not renewed. 1t
lies with the Minister of the Interior
to grant liquor licenses and he has
rightfully been very reserved about
issuing some licenses, leaving it
mostly to local option in the coun-
try districts, and the Minister has
also used his discretion in issuing
licenses in localities of Honolulu,
where the respectable people OBJ
jected.
When one of the subscribers was
abroad last year he visited his native
country, Norway, and travelled about
good deal visiting several towns
where he had been ten or more years
ago, and had a good chance to com
pare, and he was pleasantly surprised
to see all the improvements in and
around the towns. In particular he
remembers visiting an old school,
pei in one of the small towns on the
sea-coast. This good clergyman
took him about the little town to
see the sights, and as he had spent a
whole summer in said town some
fifteen or sixteen years ago, he could
more easily see the changes than a
man who had lived there all the time
His friend took him over piece
of macadamized road to the church
instead of the old COW trail which
was impossible for any other vehicle
than wheelbarrow. The church
yard was well kept and surrounded
by new substantial fence instead o.
the old broken-down affair. He
was shown a nice new schoolhouse
and small hospital. He asked hi:
Aslll II l.,
this, with no more than two thou
sand inhabitants, could afford tc
keep up such institutions and have
such improvements made. He was
answered with the only word
whisky" and afterwards on furth
er inquiry, it was. explained thai
years ago an association for the sal,
of ardent spirits, wine and beer hac
been started by the leading citizen:
of the town, the surplus of which
was used for public improvement:
and benevolence, philanthropic in
situations or other objects of genera
utility; hence all the improvement.
of the public institutions, which ht
had found. The minister furthe
told him that poverty was diminish
gu anu uTunkenneSS, WIN all tn'
vices in its train, had been so abatec
that he had not seen drunken MAJ
for long time, and the sale o
liquor, which was generally consid
cred one of the curses in the world
had been cut down there to ''next t.
nothing" as a vice, and the benefi
to the community derived from thu
sale of liquor anybody could see, a
the poor widows circumstance
were alleviated, the orphans takel
care of and educated, the sick nursed
and benefit was derived therefron
by all public organizations of bene
Violence, philanthropy and genera
usefulness.
This system was originally started
in Sweden, but it is now introduced
in almost every town in Sweden ant
Norway, as the people were not SLOW
to perceive it's benefit, and it ha
created considerable attention il
other countries. The well-knowl
writer, Right Hon. the Earl o
Meath, had an article on the subjec
in The Nineteenth Century, Decem
Der, 1891, which is full of gooC