The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-05-16
ALCOHOL 4 La SWISS.
RESULTS OF SIX YEARS, OPERATION
OF THE MONOPOLY PLAN.
Statistics Which Will Interest American
Readers because of the Fact That Some.
what Similar Methods Are Proposed In
Parts Of This Country.

Parts OF This Country.
The particular method of dealing will
;he alcohol question which is now adopt
ed IN Switzerland is discussed by NJ. W
Miillet OF Berne III a recent publication
Of The American Academy of Politica
and Social Science.
mere Is, 1t seems, no appreciable cur
rent OF opinion among the Swiss in fayo,
OF total a~bst!nc.c2. considered either as
a voluntary act or as the outcome Of
p~rohlbltory legislation. 1t is true that
by an amendment of The federal consti-
tuition passed IN 1855 the carrnnal leg
islatures acquired the power Of restrict
ing the number of places for the sale of
hqGor within their respective jurisaic-
Tons, The power has ostensibly been
exercised ii Il cantuns. ont even in
these. taken as a whole. the number of
taverns has somewhat increased.
No substantial result. therefore. has
followed the concession 81 restrictive
power. Such is not til. case with the
alcohol monopoly intr rduced in 1881.
hls has accomplished TWO things. 1t
has greatly improved the quality of the
distilled llqtars const med in Switzer
land. and has caused . marked reduction
in the use of them, The primary aim Of
the monopoly was + bring about the
substitution of fer,nented 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
the primitive methods of manufacture
and the absence of rectifcation. was ex-
ciuded from the general market and
was consequently consumed by the peas
ant distillers themselves. The effect of
these snail stills wa to make the daily
drinking of .schnapps," as the domestic
raw liquor Is called. almost universal
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 We're granted to
the authorities. both federal and can,
tonal.
Since the creation Of the alcohol mt
nopoly, l.400 large and small distilleries
nave been suppressed by appropriation.
From the remaining G. or 20 distilleries
the monopoly administration is the orlv
purchaser. The product does no 20 d.
from d~istiller to purchaser. The
ADMINISTRATION takes II under fixed con
and brings il back to the trade
'nly after 1t has been duly rectitied. Or
ne profits Of the monopoly. one-tenth,
amounting TO aboGt Slf0.0 600 Il wear
nut be applied to the struggle with al
.onollsm-that Is to Say. 10 tie l|nainte.
lance OF the poor and the insane whose
nisfortuHas MAY be traced to that NAL
dy.
Now d. 70 the effect Of the monoDoIy
n the quantity Of spirits consumed. II
so the consumption Of distilled LIQUORS
er capita was l6.2G litcrs; in 1901 it was ,
My G.32 y part Of this decrease is due ,
the cessation Of smuggling OF distilled; :
quors from Switzerland into the ada a
.nt countries, But after reasonable de-
on that score have been made =.
Is estimated that the shrinkage in the n
SO OF ardent spirits by the Swiss them |;
Ives Is not less than % per cent. The 2
consumption is obviously due !
1T only to the extinction of private y
Ills, but TO the fact that a higher price II
ust be paid for the product Of distil- t,
fles. The JOINT effect of diminished "
assumption and Of the greatly improved fl
lalIty Of the liquors sold is expected n
on to show itself in the statistics of al q,
hoiism. ;.
have said that the purpose of the st
vlss legislature was not to abolish the p,
g 81 distilled liquors, but gradually to as
pplant 1t by that of wine or beer. To 9,
end, while the price of spirits was Y,
lsed, that OF fermented liquors was "a
vered by relieving them from certain ga
Else duties. So far as wine is CON a,
ned no marked change tool place in m
volume Of Consumption between 1855 XII
1880 This is attributed. however,
he remarkable decline of the home
'duc|,on in the period named, a de-
la.which had TO be made good by i'm
= alton. II
n the case OF beer, on the other hand,
effect Of the liquor monopoly on the ca
bits Of the Swiss people Is unmistak-
lie. The consumption Of beer in Swift q;
rland increased between 1856 and 1880
I'm 80 liters per capita to As liters, -
an advance of some 5 per cent. -
far as the Swiss experiment has gone. q,
seems to show the possibility of sup .
to a considerable extent the use i
ardent spirits by that of those fer to
'nted liquors, such az beer, which con-
q relatively little alcohol. New Sc
,rk Sun. eli