Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-02
THE GOTHENBURG SYSTEM FAILED.
Attempt to Make the Sale of Liquor
in Norway Monopoly Futile.

Attempt to Make the Sale of Liquer
in Norway IL Monopoly Futile.
From the London Times
TIE British vice consul at Skiensiord, in
his latest report states that during the
past year the time expired for which two
of the towns in his district-Skien and
Brevig-had the right Of having the Goth
enburg system Of bolags, or samlags, for
the sale of spirits as mono poly. Accord
ing to the new liquor law, the inhabi-
tants of towns have the right of vetoing
the further existence of any bolag in their
town. Both Skien and Brevig voted by
large majorities against it, so that they
have no longer those bolags, which were
so warmly advocated by the Norwegian
press when the question of the Gothan-
burg system was fully ventilated a Chort
time ago. The fact of the bolags having
heen voted down in several other towns
in Norway besides Skien and Breyig
shows that they are not so popular as
might be supposed. But it should be stated
that it Is mainly owing to the perscvertng
agitation of'the teetotal element. aided by
the women's votes, that these samlags are
being ousted In towns where these institu-
lions are thus abolished. and where no
privileges for the sale of spirits are still
held by private individuals from former.
days, spirits cannot now be bought in
smaller quantities than $50 nters, which
practically means the non-sale of spirits
in such towns But in some towns privi-
leges are still held by private individuals
This is the case in Skien, where the spirit
traffic dourishes undiminished, to the great
chagrin of those whose zeal has secured
the abolition Of the samlag. But no soon
er are the samlags abolished, which is
generally effected by agitation. and gives
rise to considerable i'll feeling, than the
press complains that large sources of in
come haze thus been lost to the cOmmu-
mites. The profits from the samlags were
always utilized for the support of char
liable institutions and objects of general
local interest, which must now be main
tanned by taxing the ratepayers or else be
totally abandoned. The new Norwegian
liquor law may have it's advantages, but
when it contains clauses prohibiting the
sale. even in the best hotels, of any kind
of spirits from Saturday midday to Mon
day morning the law becomes inexpedient
and onerous. This is proved by the fact
that the Christiania police authorities have
found 1t wise to make representations to
the government to obtain the relaxation
of the above-named clause. The liquor
question in Norway seems to be undergo
ing a crisis of alteration. Willing as the
Norwegians seem to be to reduce the sale
of spirits to a minimum they are scarce
ly likely to allow of such far-reachng en-
croachments on the personal liberties of
hibitions already existing in some dis
tricts against the sale of spirits have al
ready led to evil results in the shape of
the excessive use of naphtha by the lower
classes, and in the introduction of class
Of liquor called laddevin,' which on an
alysis quite lately has been found to con-
tain highly injurious ingredients. and the
saH of which is now strictly forbidden. The
ne Etions in his report that the samlag in
that town was abolished by public vote
SO that for five years brandy cannot be
obtained iE the town.