The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1894-08-09
SALOONS IN NORWAY.
Drunkenness l. Almost Unknown Owing
to the Stringent Regulations.

\ visit 10 one Of the reformed saloons
Of Norway will best illustrate the meth
ods OF the companies. No gorgeous
display Of bottles in the window or
gilded exterior betrays the presence oi
the Gin palace and invites the thirsty
customer. 1t may be necessary for him
to search long and inquire his way be-
fore he finds shop On entering he
finds himself in a small room with a
counter at the further end. behind which
the barkeeper stands. There are no
tables or chairs Perhaps the frs.
thing to attract the eve OF the visitor j.
a pIacard bearing this inscription in
large letters: when the customer has
consumed what he has ordered he IS re-
Quested TO leave the premises at once.
Or his attention may be drawn TO a
copy OF the rules, which is cOnspicuOusly
posted and warns him TO treat the bar
keeper with respect and otherwise con-
duct himself with all proprietv. The
drink called for will he promptly served,
but second order i as promptly re-
fused. Remupstrance Is Of no avail:
the barkeeper is neither to be bribed
nor bullicd. The customer viii perhaps
be told to come agailt in three hours.
If too persistent in hi, demands he Will
De asked TO leave at once and refusal
to do 50 will result in lis being debalred
from entering that shop again for a
week or perhaps a month. HabituaI
drinkers and persons unable to provide
Tor themselves are permanently black
listed
Companies have a monopoly Of the
liquor traffic in Sweden and Norway.
The business is carried on with no view
TO personal profit but for the sole pul-
pose of checking the consumption Of
liquor and in reducing the evils of in
temperance. OF the proceeds gained
by the sale of alcohol per cent goes to
the stockholders. And rs the stock is
widely scattered this sum is barely a
taif return on the money invested. The
net gains 90 to the state and the muni-
cipaiity. Out OF this money fund j.
reserved for the poor. Drunkenness is
unknown or almost so in Norway and
Sweden. Formerly the people there
were the heaviest drinkers in the world.
Some Of the advantages to be gained
by their way OF handling the liquor
traffic are enumerated in the following
that Is, if Il ike system were intro
duccd in this country. \ writer in
The Irellu hold, that there Is great
merit in this scandinavian plan and
here are some OF the points IN its favor:
/. 1t IS a measure Of reform and not
of destruction" Experience has shown
that the saloons cannot he permanently
legislatcd out OF existence. but we know
that they can be reformed and substi-
tutes offered to meet the social cravings
Of the many.
,. The element OF private proft-mak-
inc would be divorced from the sale of
intoNicants. When the terrible temp
tatiOn to make money out of other pcO-
pies vices is removed competition must
cease and every restrictive provision Of
the law can easily be carried out.
;. The whole liquor question would
be taken out of politics and one Of the
greatest obstacles to municipal and So
ciai reform generally would be sur
mounted.
t. The number Of licensed places
would be reduced to the lowest limit
consistent with keeping the control Of
the traffic in the hands of the company
without placing premium on iIli,it
sales. But both the gin palace and tie
dive would disappear.
). The consumption Of liquor could
be checked not only by limiting the
quantity to be sold to the individual
/ consumer but by shorter hours of ale
and enhancing the cost Of liquor. o.
der and decency will become the first
consideration. the sale of drink the last
8. Absolute purity Of the liquor sold
rDUll he, Guaranteed Thp evil pInrtS
Of oycr-indulgcnce are often, pe.llps
ls much due 70 quality a. to quantity.