The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-04-13
The Alcohol Question in Switzerland

The Alcohol Question in switzerland.
The particular method OF dealing with
the alcohol question which Is now adopted
in Switzerland is discussed by Mr.. w.
MILLIET OF Berne in n recent publication Of
the American Academy Of Political n So
cial Science.
There is. 1t seems. no appreciate current
Of opinion among the Swiss in favor Of total
abstinence. considered either as a volun-
tary act or as the outcome OF prohibitory
legislation. 1t is true that by an amend
ment of the Federal Constitution. passed in
1885. the Cantonal Legislatures acquired the
power OF restricting the number of places
for the sale OF liquor within their respective
jurisdictions. Thu power has %ostensibly
been exercised In fourteen cantons. but
ever in these. taken as a whole. the number
Of taverns has somewhat increased.
No substantial result. therefore, has fol-
lowed the concession OF restrictive power.
Such is not the case with the alcohol monop-
oily introduced In 1887. This has accom-
plished two things. 1t has greatly i'm
proved the quality Of the distilled liquors
consumed in Switzerland. and has caused a
marked reduction in the use OF them. The
primary aim OF the monopoly was to bring
about the substitution OF fermented for
distilled liquors. and. short as is the period
during which the experiment has lasted.
the results are encouraging.
Before the creation Of the alcohol monop-
oily. Switzerland suffered from the practice
Of peddling distilled liquors and from the
existence of a multitude OF small stills in
agricultural districts. The product Of these
stills, by reason OF the primitive methods
OF manufacture and the absence OF rectifi-
cation. was excluded from the general mar
ket. and was consequently consumed by
the peasant distillers themselves. The effect
OF these small stills was to make the daily
drinking Of "schnapps." as the domestic
raw liquor Is called. almost universal
among farmers and agricultural laborers.
1t was the alarming spread Of alcoholism
that ensued which brought about the
by limited rights Of interference with the
liquor traffic were granted to the authori-
ties. both Federal and Cantonal.
Since the creation OF the alcohol monop-
oily. fourteen hundred large and small
distilleries have been suppressed by
appropriation. From the remaining sixty
or seventy distilleries the monopoly ad-
ministration is the only purchaser. The
product does not go directly from distiller
to consumer. The administration takes it
under fixed conditions, and brings it back
to the trade only after 1t has been duly rec
titled. OF the profits Of the monopoly. one
tenth, now amounting to about $4,000 a
year. must be applied to the struggle with
alcoholism. that is to say. to tho main
tenance Of the poor and the insane whose
misfortunes may be traced to that malady.
Now as to tho effect OF the monopoly on
the quantity Of spirits consumed. In 1888.
the consumption OF distilled liquors per
capita was 1926 litres; In 1891. 1t was only
Gy32. A part of this decrease Is due to the
cessation of smuggling Of distilled liquors
from Switzerland into the adjacent coun-
tries, But after reasonable deductions on
that score have been made, 1t Is estimated
that the shrinkage In the use of ardent
spirits by the Swiss themselves is not less
than 25 per cent. The decreased consump-
t!on is obviously due. not only to the ok
tinction Of private stills. but to the fact that
a higher price must be paid for the product
OF distiileries. The joint effect OF diminish
ed consumption and Of the greatly i'm
proved quality OF tho liquors sold is ex-
pected soon to show itself in the statis-
tics OF alcoholism.
We have said that the purpose Of the
Swiss Legislature was not to abolish the
use OF distilled liquors. but gradually to
supplant 1t by that OF wine or beer. TO that
end. while the price OF spirits was raised.
that OF fermented liquors was lowered by
relieving them from certain excise duties.
So far as wine is concerned. no marked
change took place In the volume OF con-
sumption between 1885 and 1890. This is
attributed. however. to the remarkable de-
cline OF tho home production in the period
named. a decline which had to be made
good by importation. In the case OF beer.
on the other hand. the effect OF the liquor
monopoly on the habits Of the Swiss people
is unmistakable. The consumption,of beer
In Switzerland increased between 1885 and
1890 from thirty-six litres per capita to
forty-ive litres. showing an advance of
some 25 per cent.