The Progress., 1892-12-17
DRINKING IN DENMARK.
More Liquor Consumed for the Popuis~
tion Than In Any Other Country.

tion Than In Any Other Country.
The state of Denmark has the deplor-
able reputation of being one OF the
countries in the world where the most
liquor is consumed. Centuries before
the birth of Christ history tells us how
the old Danish warriors spent the win
ter months n drunken revels, old strong
mead being the liquor used.
The scandinavian nations as a whole
are inclined to use strong drink, per
haps on account of cold and change
able climate. But there is the differ
ence that when the Norwegian or
Swede drinks he drinks heavily for IA
while, then he stops; but slow and
steady drinking is found to greater ex-
tent in Denmark than perhaps i'll any
other country. Norway was the first of
the scandinavian states to embrace the
temperance ideas brought to it from the
United States, and the earnestness
which characterizes this nation soon
showed forth in the temperance work.
About fourteen years ago the temper
ance army in Norway was strong enough
To send troops to Denmark, where they
were greeted either with the utmost in
difference or with violent resistance.
Meanwhile Sweden had been strongly
stirred by the temperance movement In
the brotherland. King Gustav III
had in the beginning of the Eighteenth
century, ont of greed for money, made
Il nation OF drunkards out of the Swed-
ish people: he had made the distilling
of whisky a government monopoly and
encouraged i'll every way the use OF
liquor. The condition of the nation be-
came through this so bad that the ear
nest element was ready to help the Nor
wegians as soon as they came.
A little while after the Norwegians
had commenced work in Denmark the
Swedes came to their assistance. For
many years no women took part in the
work. 1t was carried on mainly among
the peasantry and the laboring classes
of the cities, those being the most af-
fiicted by the scourge Of liquor A
farmer and congress member, Claus Jo-
hansen, has for years been the leader OF
temperance work. The educated classes
remained in lofty indifference to thr
whole question.
The temperance people tried to have =
law passed to close the saloons on Sun
days, but they did not succeed. They
are closed by law every evening between
10 and IL. The chief of police of Co
penhagen attempted to enforce al
amendment that any person seen drunk
on the streets was liable to fine, but ii
met with strong objection; it was claim
ed to promote injustice, as the rich men
could hire a cab and get home unde-
tected, while the poor man would have
to pay the fine. The law is now that
any drunken person shall be conveyed to
his home by the saloon keeper i'll whose
saloon he got drunk: if not, the saloon
keeper-not the drunken man-will he
fined. A saloon keeper pays fifty dol
lars for license. There is very small
duty on imported wines, and commor
liquors are SO cheap that three pints OF
rye whisky can be bought for ten cents.
AS a whole the temperance work IL
Denmark has been carried on under
such unfavorable circumstances that,
though hard work has been done, the
results are only small. The yearly con-
sumption of liquor amounts to 10000,
crowns, or rs much as the expectation
of the renowned Danish horses amounts
to-and that Is one of the most impor-
tant resources of the state.
Four years ago the educated classes
were stirred mp TO an understanding of
the deplorable condition. Tho societies
of the white ribbon and the blue ribbon
were brought to Denmark from the
United States. Mrs. Selmer, of Copen-
hagen. being the ono who took the lead
ership. This gave new life to the
struggling temperance work. AS the
refined women of the nation Though the
aristocracy as rule is against the tenn
perance movement and the church is in
differently took part in the work, thu
homes got 20 understand that moderate
drinking was the curse Of even the bes
/, among them, that moderate drinking
mad created nation which, laughing
saw its sons so down toward peril, an'
then commenced crying when it was to-
late.-Nico Beck Meyerin Worlds Whit
Ribbon.