The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-10-20

were under the influence Of liquor,
the fact still remains that so per
cent. 81 all the crime in the kingdom
is due to drink. Then it is only just
that we should charge the liquor
business with so per cent. of the cost
Of police criminal cases in the courts,
and the expenses of jails, etc.
When We add to the S1.000,000
spent directly for drink, the cost to
the country of the direct results of
the liquor business, we find that at
the very least our annual expenses
for liquors and its results are
j, 100000. In return for this eDor.
nous drain upon our resources, the
liquor traffic pays into the Hawaiian
Treasury about $4,000 in duties,
license fees, etc.
In other words, for every dollar
received by the treasury the people
paid the liquor men over three.
That is the state Of affairs which
the wine and beer bill would make
worse by taking more money out of
the peoples pockets in order to get
some Of it back Such financiering
is not apt to aid us very much 1t is
often said. What are yon going to
do about it Men will drink; you
can't hinder them, and you have no
business to do SO if you could"
Prohibition will not work unless
the great majority of the people Of
country favor it. We clearly have
not reached that point in Hawaii.
Instead of those Of Us who believe IN
prohibition buttiDg our heads against
this wall Ct facts, let US join with
men who believe in the moderate use
of liquors in an effort to lessen as
far as we can the evils of intemper
ance and safeguard over young peo-
pie from learning drinking habits.
In both the ADVERTISER and Bulletin
attention has been called to the fact
that Norway and Sweden had, about
thirty years ago, the same liquor
problem to solve that is now con-
fronting US. Their position was
more difficult than ours, because
their people were more given TO
drink, and many Of their licenses
were issued for the lifetime Of the
holder
The official reports of Norway and
Sweden, and the reports of travellers
to those countries, all unite in as
serting that the Gothenberg System
Of managing the liquor traffic has
immensely aided the financial, social
and moral welfare OF those countries.
Having several pamphlets telling of
the workings of that system, it will
not be amiss to apply it in general
way to Hawaii, and see what would
be the probable results.
The chief features of the Gothen.
berg System, as seen in Norway and
Sweden, are:
IA single company is formed to
control the liquor business, they to
receive 5 per cent. on the capital
invested in the business.
Amy profits above 5 per cent. to
be paid into the treasury Of the town
or country as tue case may be.
3.-To reduce the number Of sa-
looms and improve their condition.
4.-To provide warm food fol
workingmen, thus, as far as possible
changing the saloon into an eating
house.
5.-To employ as managers Of these
houses respectable persons Whn-shaI
Sp1rfJs, wines or beers; whose only
profit shall be from the sale of cooked
food, tea, coffee, soda water, etc.
6.-Refusal to sell any spirits, wine
or beer on credit.
Refusal to sell to anyone under
is years Of age, or to persons under
the influence of liquor.
S.-The sale of spirits, wines
beers, food, etc, to be conducted in
the same manner as other businesses
viz: with open doors, without screens
etc.
9.-Pure liquors only to be sold.
1O.-To secure strict supervision
of all houses where drink is sold, by
inspectors OF their own, in add
ton to the police.
The result in Norway and Sweden
is that drunkenness has almost ceased
while most of the money spent for
drink, instead, Of going into private
purses, has been spent on roads
parks, public buildings and charita-
~t;;io institutions. lake the city Oh
Bergen as an illustration: Bergen
has a population of 10000. The
company managing the liquor bust
ness in that city, after paying al
expenses and taking out per cent
as interest on the capital invested
has averaged during the last thirteen
years to pay into the treasury of the
city IL per cent. on the total capital
employed in running the liquor traf
fic in that city. In addition to this
the number of houses in Bergen
where liquor was sold has fallen from
6S to 4S. Now let us apply this sys-
tenn to Hawaii.
That the liquor business is pay
ing one here is shown by the number
of saloons, liquor firms, etc. Ii we
had the Gothenburg system here
about half of the saloons here would
be closed, and all the liquors would
be supplied by one large company
which, after paying all expenses
would receive say 10 per cent. on the
capital invested.
A company with a paid-up capital
of 100000 could easily carry on the