The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-05-25
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
DRINK IN SWITZERLAND.
How the Government Tries to Regulate the
Consumption of Liquors.

|
! How the Government Tries to Regulate the
Consumption of Liquors.
The progress made in Switzerland, in
its experiment in the reduction of the
amount of distilled liquors consumed
by its people, is discussed in recent
publication of the American Academy
| of Political and Social Science, by NJ.
| Milliet, of Berne. 1t may be remarked,
by way of preface, that there is no APP
parent public opinion in favor of total
abstinence. Hence the experiment re-
ferred to does not proceed upon the
line of prohibition. 1t does not seek to
keep the Swiss people from drinking,
but to change their drink. Instead of
drinking distilled spirits, the law aims
to teach the Swiss to drink beer and
| wine instead.
| 1t is true that in 1855 there was an
amendment to the federal constitution
whereby the legislatures OF the cantons
were given the power to restrict the
number of places wherein liquor is sold
in their respective jurisdictions; but so
far only fourteen of the twenty-five
|
under that provision, and in them,
taken rs a whole, the number of drink
ing places has been somewhat increased
since 1855 So it will be seen that the
restrictive power has not been exercised
to any great extent.
The effort to reduce the consumption
of distilled liquors, and replace them,
as fur as possible, by beer and wine, be-
gan in 1887 by giving to the general
government a monopoly of the sale of
all distilled spirits. Before that year,
there existed an enormous number of
small still-houses in the agricultural
districts. These were of an exceedingly
primitive character, We're run by the
peasants themselves, and produced a
very crude quality of raw spirits, which
was consumed by the peasants of the
vicinity, because the quality was so
poor that it could not be sold in the
general market.
According to NJ. Milliet, it was the
rapid spread of drunkenness among
the peasants, caused by drinking
''schnapps," as they called this crude
and fiery liquor, which caused the gov
eminent to take the trade in distilled
liquors into it's own hands, and make
a monopoly of it. His enumeration of
the results of that action is significant.
Since 1887, there have been 1 400 distil-
leries, large and small, suppressed by
the government, and only so or 70 re-
main. Their product is purchased on
| ly by the government. 1t is rectifed
while in its possession, and then sold
to dealers. In 1885, the consumption
of distilled spirits in Switzerland was
1926 liters per capita; in 1891, it had
dropped 6.32 liters per head. The con-
sumption of these liquors is thus re-
duced, the quality is improved, and the
price is made higher.
The rise in the price was made in
tentionally, for two reasons: to dimin-
iSh the amount used, and to create a
fund out of the governments profits
on it's monopoly for the maintenance Of
the paupers, insane and imbeciles
whose misfortunes can be traced back
to the drink habit. One-tenth of the
profits is set aside as fund for this
purpose, and it produced about s14O, 900
per year.
The use of wine and beer, instead of
spirits, was also favored by relieving
them of certain excise duties, and thus
cheaper them to consumers. While
not much change has been made so far
in the volume of consumption of wine,
that of beer shows decided Increase
from 80 liters per capita in 1885, to As
liters per capita in 1890, or about 25 per
cent.
1t would seem that the day of total
abstinence among the Swiss is still far
distant Whether it will ever come will
depend upon those whose duty it is to
educate the rising generation. So far
as the government has gone. it has sim
ply demonstrated the possibility of sup
planting to n considera BILE extent the
use of arduous spirits by that OF vinous
and fermentcd liquors, whose per cent
of alcohol is much smaller. But this by
no means removes the danger of men
contracting the drink habit nor does
it shield the community from the pau
perism, insanity idiocy, vice and crime
which are the resultants of public
drunkenness. The education of the
people is the first great step, and really
the principal step, in any effort to abol-
ish the manufacture and sale of rum.
and to pulverize the rum power.-To-
ledo Blade.