The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-05-23

The action of the South Carolina leg1Sla-
ture recently in aboishing private traffic in
alcoholic stimulants directs attention to
the working of the system on its native
soil. Nearly so years ago the necessity Of
dealing with the drink plague forced itself
upon the minds of thinking men in Sweden
and the abuses arising from uncontrolled
traffic in spirits were so threatening as to
awaken zeal for reform all over the king
DOM After one of the most desperate con-
tests in the history of the temperance move
ment, the enthusiasm enkindled for stem
ming the drink evil materialized into a
system which, to judge from the fruits It
has borne and the amount of attention di-
rected to it, will ere long be practically
known far beyond the borders of Scandi-
navia.
The scheme is known as the Gothenburg
plan, because it originated and it's efficacy
was first demonstrated in that city. The
municipal council took control of the drink
trade, compensated the owners of licensed
houses, restricted the number of licenses.
and entrusted the traffic to company that
carries on the business in behalf of the
city council and the interests of the COM
munity at large. The company is allowed
net profit of per cent, its managers are
paid fixed salaries, and all the surplus goes
into the Golfers Of the city authorities to be
distributed among benevolent institutions or
expended on works of common utility. The
licensed houses are very plain and simple
in their appointments, and are deprived OF
all the seductions of our glittering bars
and the attractions for lounging SO irresist
ible to thirsty souls. Drinking establish
ments oren at s o'clock a. M, land are
closed from o'clock on Saturday until
Monday morning Children are not allowed
on the premises, drink is not sold to youths
under 16 years of age, and heavy penalties
are imposed for violations Of the licensing
laws. Before the system was inaugurated
the sale of drink was the chief source of
gain in licensed houses; under the new
scheme these houses are obliged to provide
groceries also, and various kinds of food
upon which the dealer must rely for his
profits
1t has been found that this interesting
social experiment has shorn the drink traffic
of it's most perncous features. AS long as
the individual has the prospect of easily
accommodating large profits, it is to his aG-
vantage to promote the liquor trade by
every means in his power and to be not
too scrupulous about the abuses to which,
more than any other traffic, it is subject.
He is continually beset by the temptation to
induce unwilling purchasers to drink, to
supply spirits to those who are already
drunk, and to be Indifferent as to the in
gradients of the liquids which pass for
spirits. But the Swedish solution allows
no room for the play of this cursed thirst
| for gold, as the managers of licensed es-
| Establishments are practically the agents of
| the city council, and are paid salaries which
| do not depend upon their sales. The re-
| Striction of the number of drinking places
| is also in itself an enormous advantage, for
| it lessons the centers Of temptation and the
| incentives to indulgence Of a passion which
| is easily reused by proximity to the means
of gratifying it. - y
Statistics bear out all the expectations
| which We're raised Ny the Gothenburg plan.
Wherever it was introduced drunkenness
| decreased 80 per cent within 10 years. From
| 1876 to 1883 the consumption of ardent spir-
| its fell from over 12Go1,0fO litres to about
| 100000. AS the SYSTEM was adopted all
| over the kingdom 1crme of all kinds di-
| banks vent on increasing. Travellers tell
| us that it is a rare thing to see a man
| stagger on the streets of the capital city
| of Norway A crucial tcst Of the efficacy
| of the plan is afforded by a parallel set of
| statistics Under the Gothenbug system
restrictions were placed on the sale of
| spirits only-beer does not SEEM to have
| been recognized as dangerous to social
| prosperity and it's trade was left to pri-
| vate enterprise. AS the sale of alcohol
| fell beer shops multiplied Private greed
| once more did it's worst 10 nuli1fy the bene-
| fetal influence of state interference III the
! liquor traffic, and the beer shop has be-
! come a danger to the country. The next
! phase, upon which indeed the temperance
| movement in Norway and Sweden is al
| ready untcring-will be to take control of
| tho beer traffic. Six years ago about 81,
! 100000 litres represented the annual con-
! s.,.;np,ion of beer in Norway. In 1891 those
| figures had Increased to 80, COCOON
i The Swedish solution j:as successfully
! withstonl tie severe test OF time. 1t was
put into operation in face Of the fierce OPP