The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-03-23
NoRwAY's LIQUOR Law.
Drinks Arc Limited I'm Size and tho
Business is Conducted by Stock
ComOanfeG


Drinks Arc Limited I'm Size and the
Business is Conducted by Stock
Companies.
The operation Of the liquor company
system in Norway, by means OF which
the sale and consumption of intoxicants
arc controlled and modified, is attract.
ing q good desl Of attention, both In
Europe and in this country, SAYS a
writer in the Chicago News. There
has been, for many years, very we'll
directed efforts made both In Sweden
and Norway to limit the evils of LIQUOR
drinking, which was becoming more
prevalent and disastrous In each than
the patriotic people believed to be
conducive TO the best interests OF the
government. In Sweden the Gothen-
burg system has been in vogue for
thirty years, with very satisfaotory re.
suits, while in Norw ay various plans are
in use, none of which is applicable to
the whole country, AS q matter OF
fact there are portions of NORWAY in
which 1t is impossible to procure a
drink Of distilled liquor, and It is called
by q rccent writer "a country of the
Maine liquor law and of that law
thoroughly and beneficially enforced"
The Norwegian enactments do not. in
general, seek the suppression of the
drink traffic in the large cepters of
population, but rather its rigid regula.
tion and control.
IN tho cities the company system Is
generally adopted, by which the sale
OF liquors is given to stock company
whlcn conducts the business, not to in
crease, but to restrict it. Prof, Pea
body, OF Harvard University, In a re-
cent article shows how this system
works in Bergen, Norwegian city of
45, 600 inhabitants. The city has nine
saloons and four Wholesale LIQUOR stores,
all managed by a company composed
Of 237 persons, the capital stock being
$20, 900, upon which only per cent as
interest can be returned. The stock.
holders are all persons of character,
who hold the shares because prompted
by public spirit rather than desire
for gain. or the saloons managed by
the company Prof. Peabody says when
one enters them she finds place OF
the most cheerless and repellent
character. There no tables or chairs
or encouragement for idlere, but simply
counters, provided with small glasses
OF the company's, measured like an
| apothecary's, for the exact dose. A
cumstomer enters, drinks his thimble
full, as IL Of medicine, and at once
withdraws. Instead of solicitation
thoro is the barest permission. The
| business Is conducted, as 1t were, under
| protest, and nothing but the most re-
solutc determination to drink-a de-
termination which no prohibitory law
| would be able to frustrate--seems like
| ly to draw one into these inhospitable
diSDensaries."
These saloons are open from 8 to II
in the morning and from 1870 to 7 in
| the afternoon. On SUNDAYS and hOli-
days they close at in the afternoon.
The Norwegian saloons are therefore
closed at those hours when the grog-
shops in this country are doing their
| largest business. The profits of the
Bergen company In 1897 were about
$50 900, OF which sum $50, 900 was di-
vidcd among various charitable and
educational institutions of the city.
Since 1887 this company has divided
about $G0O,000 among these local Or
ganizations. Under the workings of
these laws, Prof. Peabody says, " Nor
way Is the most temperate country in
! Europe"
In this connection the tobacco
legislation in Norway Is of interest
a law was recently pissed making it
q mlsdemeanOr to sell tobacco to any
boy under IL years Of age without he
has written order signed by all adult
relative or employer. Tourists who
offer such boys q cigarette render
themselves liable to prosecution under
| the law. Police officers are ordered to
conii> cate the pipes, cigars, cigarettes
and tobacco found upon lads who are
caught smoking in the public streets
| The fine for violation of the anti.
tobacco law varies from SO cents to $25.