Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-06-28
THE LIQUOR PROBLEM.
AN ANSWER TO ..RHAT TO DO WITH
THE SALOONS.
ARTICLE V


proposition TO accomplish, under one
present 81 stem, sli or even more imam
could De accomplished under the I0th
system, if communities honestly desire
any Improvement. Please Dear 10
mind. kind reader. that under the Goth
system. the same as under our license
system. every village and city must
depend entirely upon It's own puoiic
sentiment, conscience and voters. ~
cannot obtain the assistance VI inc less
debauched conscience If the rural
region outside the municipal limits
that the Goth system does not even at
tempt 10 regulate or interfere with the
sale Of malt liquor but only distilled
liquors, known there IS 'branerin'
(brandyl, while our system includes all
spiritu0us, einous, malt and lnto1lcat
ing liquors. Even in the local veto"
regions of Norway and Sweden, and
they are numerous (remember there is
no democratic option or prohibit
ton by the vote Of the people, as with
us), the agents fer wines and malt
liquors are free TO deluge the people
with their drinks. Please note, also.
before you finish these articles, that
under this great and highly praised
Goth system. there is scarcely such
thing known as total abstinence; it en-.
courages all TO drink, and teaches none
70 abstain. But 10 my purpose: Hav-
ing read so many articles from some of
our own men, WHO, with no sympathy
for or faith prohibition, had crossed the
ocean to study Scandinavia system,
only TO return with unbounded praise
of the Goth plan. conceived the idea
of writing directly TO one of Sweden
most noted and influential statesmen
q man who, foT generation has been
a member of her parliament. elected
from and representing the capital city
Of Stockholm where the Goth system has
been long and carefully tried j did
not know his sentiment as to this sys
tom, but did know him as grand,
progressive man friend of many Of
America best scholars and christian
refOrmers. student of our customs,
laws and language, and one OF the men
from the old world who believed il
would pay 10 come and study our great
Columbian Exposition. He did come
and have learned from ono of the men
who helped entertain him--a man
whom Wisconsin will always delight to
honor that this great Swedish states
man, scholar, philanthropist and re-
former is as great in heart AID soul as
IN his wide reputation His name is
Wavrinsky, and to him | addressed
lengthy letter last March Very recent
IN received his answer and | wish that
space would permit mo to publish both
letters in full. must, however, be-
content with giving only the most i'm
porlant parts questions and answers
My letter was mostly in the form of
twenty-one questions. and his, OF cor
responding replies W II quote ques
tons and answers together. he pre-
cedes his answers with this general
proposition: lone cannot tell sUhat or
hoC MITCH the Gothenburg system does
to decrease the amount Of liquor con
sumed, as many uthsr forces. aiming
at tho same result are al work. espe,
cIauy the temperance struggle
Il quote his exact words. written 10
the best OF English, End naict,e them
lGst as I've does now to the questions,
j. 4 Is the real strength OF the Goth.
euhur4 system due 10 It's decreasing the
evils Of the drink traffic, or does the
fact That i furnishes large revenue TO
tie municipality with more or less
money for charitable purposes. have |
mueh to do with its popularity
A. The popularity of the Gothen. |
burg system is absolutely on the side |
of the license party. Ill regulates the /
erl1s OF the drink traffic ana furnishes /
large revenues 20 the municipality
Has the fac, that the system I
destroys the element Of profit to liquor
sellers more influence than the fact that /
this profit largely goes 10 the munich
panty 10 the form of revenue or chart /
.ies?n
A. The system does really not des-
trey the element of profit TO liquor sell
lers-- rs it was meant to debut only /
puts the profits in the hands of COM
p2nies or OF the municipalities +"
5. Before tho Go.hen1urg system
was adopted. was the political power of
the liquor traific with the retail dealers |
or with the dtStlllers and breDers In
other words, has the system decreased
The political power OF the traffic, and in
what way"
A. The liquor traffic never had
ANY political power (hke that in Amer
ica) in Sweden, since the time when it /
was monopoly Of the crown. before
1855 when the era of the new leglsla
ton began, at present the distlllers and |
brewers are organized in resistance to
the temperance work, and they import |
their weapons from American distillers |
and brewers, and even servants OF |
God, who fight against prohibition.
(What a scsthing rebuke this ought to
oe TO American CHRISTIANS, TO know
tina. their traducing Of prohibition is
carried by dis,illers and brewers to for
eign lands as 8 weapon against our
heroic patriots there who are striving
for God aud home and their own native
land against this hydra headed monster.
Such men as DR.. Lyman Abbott, DIR.
Rainsford. editor OF The Independent
and scores of others who sre influen
tial, are helping thus to forge "wea
pons' that shall be used by the p wers