Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1893-06-21
ALCOHOL A la SWISS.
RESULTS or SIX YEARS OPERATION
or THE MONOPOLY PLAN.


what Similar Methods Arc Proposed In
Parts of This Country,
The particular method Of dealing with
the alcohol question which is now adopt
cd in Switzerland is discussed by Mr. w.
Milliet of Berne in u recent publication
Of the American Academy OF Political
and Social Science.
There is, it seems, no appreciable cur
rent of opinion among the Swiss in favor
of total abstinence, considered either as
voluntary act or as the outcome Of
prohibitory legislation. It is true that
by an amendment Of the federal consti-
tuition passed in 1885 the cantonal leg
islatures acquired the power of restrict
ing the number of places for the sale Of
liquor within their respective jurisdic-
tons. The power has ostensibly been
exercised in ID cantons, but even in
these, taken as whole, the number Of
taverns has somewhat increased.
No substantial result, therefore, has
followed the concession of restrictive
power. Such is not the case with the
alcohol monopoly introduced in 1887.
This has accomplished two things. 1t
has greatly improved the quality of the
distilled liquors consumed in SWitzer-
land, and has caused 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 dur
ing which the experiment has lasted the
results are encouraging.
Before the creation of the alcohol mo-
nopoly, 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
ths primitive methods Of Manufacture
and the absence Of rectifcation, was ex-
cluded from the general market and
was consequently consumed by the peas
ant 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 labor
ers. It was the alarming spread Of alco-
holisIn that ensued which brought about
the change in the federal constitution
whereby limited rights of interference
with the liquor traffic were granted to
the authorities, both federal and can
tonal.
Since the creation Of the alcohol mo-
nopoly, l 400 large and small distilleries
have been suppressed by appropriation.
From the remaining so or 70 distilleries,
the monopoly administration is the only
purchaser. The product does not go di-
rectly from distiller to purchaser. The
takes it under fixed con-
ditions and brings it back to the trade
only after it has been duly rectifed. OF
the profits of the monopoly, one-tenth,
now amounting to about $40, 900 year,
NUT be applied to the struggle with al |
coholism-thaS is to say, to the mainte-
nance of the poor and the insane whose
misfortunes may be traced to that NAL |
ady.
Now as to the effect of the monopoly |
on the quantity Of spirits consumed. In
1885 the consumption Of distilled liquors
per capita WAS 1926 liters; in 1891 it was
only 6.32. A part Of this decrease is due
to the cessation of smuggling of distilled
liquors from Switzerland into the ada
cent countries But after reasonable de-
auctions on that score have been made,
it is estimated that the shrinkage in the
use of ardent spirits by the Swiss them
selves is not less than 25 per cent. The
decreased consumption is obviously due
not only to the extinction of private
stills, but to the fact that q higher price
must be paid for the product Of distil-
cries. The joint effect of diminished
and of the greatly improved
quality of the liquors sold is expected
soon to show itself in the statistics of al
,oholism.
We have said that the purpose of the
swiss legislature was not to abolish the
1se of distilled liquors, but gradually to
it by that of wine or beer. To
hat end, while the price Ct spirits was
'aised, that of fermented liquors was
owered by relieving them from certain
excise duties. So far as wine is con-
,erned no marked change took place in
he volume Of consumption between 1886
nd 1890. This is attributed, however,
o the remarkable decline of the homo
PRODUCTION in the period named, q de-
line which had to be made good by i'm
,ortation.
In the case Of beer, on tbs other hand,
he effect Of Che liquor monopoly On the
Labits of the Swiss people is unlnistak-
BILE. The consumption Of beer in Swift
erland increased between 1885 and 1890
rom IS liters per capita to 45 liters,
howing an advance Of some 25 per cent.
10 far as the Swiss experiment has gone, :
seems to show the. possibility of sup :
lanting to considerable extent the use
f ardent spirits by that of those fer
aented liquors, such as beer, which con-
ain relatively little alcohol. New
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