Evening journal., 1893-05-01
ALCOHOL ALA SWISS.
RESULTS OF SIX YEARS OPERATION
OF THE MONOPOLY PLAN.

Readers Because OF the Aact Ihat Some- |
what Similar Methods Are Proposed In
Parts Of This Country.
The particular method of dealing with
| the alcohol question which is now adopt
| ed in Switzerland is discussed by Mr.. w.
Milliet Of Berne in a recent publication
of the American Academy of Political
and Social Science.
There is, il seems, no appreciable cur
rent Of opinion among the Swiss in favor
of total abstinence, considered either as
o 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 iurisdic-
tions. The power has ostensibly been
exercised in IL cantons. but even in
these, taken as a 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. It
has greatly improved the quality Of the
distilled liquors consumed in Switzer-
land, 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 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 multitude
of small stills in agricultural districts.
The product Of these stills, by reason Of
the primitive methods of manufacture
and the absence Of rectiication, was ex-
cluded from the general market and
was consequently consumed by the peas
ant distillers themselves. The effect Of
these small stills was 10 make the daily
drinking Of ''schnapps," as the domestic
raw liquor is called, almost universal
among farmers and agricultural labor
ers. 1t was the alarming spread Of alco-
holism 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 cam
tonal
Since the creation Of the alcohol mo-
, nopoly, / 400 large and small distilleries
have been suppressed by appropriation.
: From the remaining 60 or 20 distilleries,
the monopoly administration is the only
purchaser The product does not 60 di-
I rectly from distiller to purchaser. The
. administration takes it under fixed con-
/ ditions and brings it back to the trade
only after it has been duly rectihed. OF
the profits Of the monopoly, one-tenth
now amounting to about $4,000 a year
e NUT be applied TO the struggle with al
9 coholism-that is to say, to the mainte
nance Of the poor and the insane who's
+ misfortunes may be traced to that NAL
1, ady.
n Now as to the effect Of the monopoly
on the quantity Of spirits consumed. II
1885 the consumption of distilled liquors
per capita was 1926 liters; in 1891 it wai
= only G.32 A part Of this decrease is du'
to the cessation of smuggling of distilled
(, liquors from Switzerland into the ada
4 cent countries. But after reasonable de
, duchons on that score have been made
it is estimated that the shrinkage in th
use of ardent spirits by the Swiss them
selves is not less than % per cent. Tn
decreased consumption is obviously du
Y not only to the extinction of privat
p stills, but to the fact that a higher pric
= must be paid for the product of distil
leries. The joint effect of diminishe'
NJ consumption and of the greatly improves
~ quality Of the liquors sold is expecte
y soon to show itself in the statistics of al
% coholism.
We have said that the purpose Of tn
- Swiss legislature was not to abolish tn
4, use Of distilled liquors, but gradually &
- supplant it by that of wine or beer. II
{, that end, while the price of spirits wa
y raised, that Of fermonted liquors wa
" lowered by relieving them from certaii
excise duties. So far as wine is con
cerned no marked change took place 81
the volume of consumption between l5e
and 1890. This is attributed, however
to the remarkable decline Of the hom
o. production in the period named, dc
Ii cline which had TO be mede good by in
lv portation.
ra In the case Of beer, on the other hand
re the effect Of the liquor monopoly on Tia
n habits Of the Swiss peol6- Is unmistal
,e able. The consumption OF beer in Swi
NJ zerland increased between 1885 and 1S9
e- from SO liters per capita to 40 liter
H. showing an advance of some % per cen
~, So far as the Swiss experiment has gon
Is. it seems to show the possibility of SUI
10 planting 70 q considerable extent the ne
Il, Of ardent spirits by that o. those fe
a mented liquors, such as beer, which rol
no tain relatively iI,le alcohol. - Ne
ct York Sun.
te An old Custom seldom Followed.
it- In many old families the custom hi
.e- obtained from time immemorial of pu
az tinn, m ON nlata nrl chair for n