Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-07-10
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.
NATURALIZATION of the LiquorTrafiic.
The result If most interesting expert
ment in the direction of the municipaliza-
ton of the liquor traffic has just been as
certained after trial of many months.
The experiment has been made by Mr..
Lees, Secretary to the water department
of the Birmingham Corporation Accord
ing to the instructions of the corporation
public house was opened in September,
1894, at Elan Village, for the purpose OF
catering for the wants of several hundred
men and their families. The rules Of man
agement were decidedly stringent, and the
success of the public house is therefore more
important. The public house is opened daily
between the hours of ~ and 2p. m. for
one and a. half hours only, and for the
whole time in the evening between $50
and 9 O'Clock. On Sunday it remains
closed all day, but on Saturday 1t remains
open from O. clock until o. clock. Women
are not allowed in the bar at any time un-
der any pretext whatever, men only over
IS years of age being permitted to drink in
the bar. No woman under the age Of 81
years or boy under the age Of 10 years is
served with beer at the jug department.
No person is supplied with more than one
quart of liquor at the morning hour, whilst
but two quarts may be consumed on the
premises in the evening. Only village in
habitants are allowed to freely enter the
public house, but strangers may do so with
written order, which is easily obtainable.
1t will be at once conceded that the NUM-
cipal public house was started at great
disadvantage, there being an ordinary es-
tablishment conducted ON the usual
lines few hundred yards off. Mr.. Lees
conferred with men of experience in
the ''trade' before the house was duly es.
tablished, and qualified public house
manager was appointed to conduct the
business on behalf of the corporation. He
has fully entered into the spirit of the
municipal experiment, and quite under
stands that he is thought no more highly Of
if his sales are high than il they are low,
whereas, should there be any drunkenness
or disturbance, he is held responsible for
it. There has, however, been no difficulty
at all of this description, and publicans
themselves even admit the satisfactory ma
ture of the undertaking. The takings, of
course, have varied very considerably,
from ECO to 970 week. The trade of the
other public house has fallen off very con-
siderably since the establishment Of the
municipal public house, by far the greater
part of the drink now consumed in the vii
lage being purchased from the corporation
house. The net profits for the first half
year were as high as e1AO, and they have
since been increasing. The profits are de-
voted to the maintenance of reading and
recreation room, which is distinct from the
public house, and this has proved to mini
mize the drinking-one Of the principal
objects Of the experiment. There are bag
atelle tables and various methods of amuse-
now regarded with considerable friendli-
ness by almost every inhabitant of the vii
lage. Much good has been done for the
social benefits Of the inhabitants out of the
profits, which is greatly appreciated. The
public house is being conducted on lines
similar to those advocated by the Bishop Of
Chester, and is the only one in the country
In concluding his report on the result Of the
experiment, Mr.. Lees sayss ''Individu
ally am total abstainer, but l am per-
fectly certain that we are serving the in
terests of temperance far better in provid
n.
lations, than we should be did we attempt
to prohibit the traffic altogether, leaving it
to be conducted IN the usual way