The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-02-15
w. G.. r. u. COLUMN.
A r-mperan Victory in Norway.

A Tempe rance Victory In Norway.
Prof. II. A. Jernberg in the Advanced:
Norway, the land Of midnight sun, has
been pushing to the front alocg the lines
Of moral and intellectual activity during
the last quarter century SO rapidly as to
attract the attention OF the entire civil
lied world. The names Of her poets and
authors have become household words in
all lands, and her reforms in the control
of the liquor traffic have been thought
worthy OF emulation ever in this u
try, where the influence OF the saloon
seems supreme.
The latest from Norway is the news
Of q splendid victory won by the tenn
perance people over the corporations to
whom the privilege OF selling liquor was
regularly granted by the cities. 1t has
been common in Norway since 1871 for
the municipal councils to grant to GER
tain corporations the monopoly Of the
retail liquor business. In return these
bound themselves to to devote the sur
plus of their business to objects Of pub
lie improvement and charity.
Such an arrangement is evidently
open to many objections, and while it
has given better satisfaction than the
old license system, which was somsTyhat
like the one in common use hereif has
never won the approval Of the mob rad
ical temperance people in Norway. They
accepted it as a step in the right direc-
ton, but never lost ont Of sight the goal
OF their %endeavors, the entire prohibit
ton OF the liquor traffic. They have
been sneered at as fanatics by the liquor
people; they have been looked upon with
a supercilious scorn by the larger part
of the people whose besetting s,n from
the beginning has been love OF strong
drink; they have been tolerated in a
condescending, good natured way by
that class OF people who do not mean to
take life too seriously and dislike social
reforms that interfere with old social
habits inherited from The fathers and
dearly cherished by provincial society.
But in spite OF opposition and saeers,
these lovers Of their country have
pressed on with the motto on their ban
ners: This one thing We do" They
succeeded in e~lecting to the storthing
the president Of the national temperance
society, Mr.. Sven Aarrestad. He intro
| l,,oal N hill 1iuipn u-npnon q r,nh m
vote on the liquor q~estion, and by his
earnest efforts this bill was passed July
"A, 1894. The enactment of this new
liquor law was a fatal blow to the liquor
interests. The war began last October
in one OF the southern coast towns in
Norway, and in every battle but two, the
temperance people YER victorious, de-
Where, in spite OF the fact that the vote
OF ever voter who stayed at home was
counted in favor Of the corporations.
The result is that nearly half the cit
les OF Norway are now no-lioense towns,
and the other half will no doubt follow
when the opportunity is given them,
which will not be until next fall.
The new factor in the Temperance
question in Norway is the Morse 'oman,
and thanks to her intelligent etivity
and determination, q day has owned
upon her native land which few have
had the faith believe was so lear at
hand. May God grant a similar bssing
to America.