The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-17
SYSTEM is GOOD ONE
EOTHENBURG PLAN OF HANDLING
LIQUORS WORKS WELL In
SWEDEN
DRUNKENNESS ON DECREASE
Quantity of Spirits Drunk There Is
Growing Smaller Steadily
Vice and Crime Also
Diminishing.

The so-called Gothenburg system of
regulating the liquor traffic, which pre-
walls in Sweden and with some medifi-
cations in Norway and Finland. is based
upon the theory that the evil of intem-
perance cannot be entirely eradlcated.
but can be reduced to minimum by
practical regulations, says William +.
Curtis in the Chicago Record Herald. Ii
does not attempt to prevent the use of
intoxicating liquors, but to prevent the
abuse of them.
The fundamental law Of Sweden per-
nlits local option in dealing with the
liquor traffic by the votes of the people,
Il GLIDING women taxpayers, and four OF
the provinces of the kingdom are en-
tirely without saloons. The Gothenburg
system has been adopted by eighty-three
cut of a total of ninety-tWo municipal
ties. The remaining nine either prohibit
the liquor traffic entirely or license prl-
waite Dealers In the country districts
the sale of liquor is generally prohibited,
but people who are in the habit of drink
ing obtain supplies from the agents of
the Gothenburg system IN the neighbor-
ing towns One can get beer every
where. 1t is the common drink of the
people and its use is growing more and
more general, In 1850 the annual con-
sumption of beer was about 800, coo hecto-
ijters. At present it reaches 1, 100000 hec-
toliters, the population having increased
about % per cent in the meantime. In
1850 the average consumption of beer per
capita was about ten liters. Now 1t is
about twenty-eight liters. The Swedish
beer is very light and contains low
percentage of alcohol.
The results of the adoption OF the
Gothenburg system are seen In every d.
rection and appear in every table of So
cial statistics, not only in the decrease
In the consumption of Intoxicating
liquors, but in the decrease in drunken
ness, poverty and crime There Is no
question, and the prohibitionists do not
deny, that the system has been practical
and beneficial, SO far as it goes, but they
object to 1t for several reasons.
No country has suffered so much in the
past from the unrestricted manufacture.
sale and use of intoxicating liquors.
Fifty years ago there was "a public
house in every cottage" and 172,124 dis
tilleries Of spirits from potatoes and
corn. Every landholder had the right of
distilling and so terrible were the effects
that in 1854 parliament passed law pro-
hibiting private distilling, taxing public
distilleries so. heavily that most of them
were compelled to suspend operations,
and giving local optien to cities. towns
and parishes. But while this law pro-
NOTED temperance to a certain degree, it
was practically a failure, and in 1855,
after an agitation, the common council
of Gothenburg intrusted company
called bolag), composed of twenty be-
nevolent citizens, with the monopoly of
the liquor traffic In that city upon the
condition that the profits. over and above
6 per cent interest on the capital invest
ed, should be paid into the municipal
treasury, and that no person should di
rectly or indirectly enjoy any further
pecuniary benefit from the sale. A SINH
lar scheme had failed in the mining town
of Fahlun some years before, but the
arrangement in Gothenburg was prudent
and sEillful enough to make it a great
success there
The stock Of the company was divided
into 100 shares, which were taken by
prominent business men and persons In
whom the public had confidence Its af-
fairs are managed by a board of direct
ors one-half Of whom are elected by the
shareholders and the remainder by the
municipal council. The governor of the
province, who is appointed by the king
for life. is made a general supervisor of
its affairs and arbitrates disputes between
the directors and the municipality
The rules prohibit the sale of liquor to
any person on Sundays holidays and
a. SSl. " " S1pGh Ot4 the evenings DTGC6uII&
holidays and Sundays On other DAYS
the agencies of the company are open
from in the morning until s In the even
Ing during the summer, and until in the
evening In the winter. when the attend
ants are authorized to sell not more than
one drink to any male applicant over
eighteen years of age, to be consumed
on the premises, or not more than forty
five quarts in bottles or defni- johns to be
consumed elsewhere. Bottles containing
a quart pint or half pint NAV be sold
to be consumed elsewhere but If pur-
chaser desires another drink or another
bottle he is compelled to go to another
agency, which Is far away, there being
only fourteen agencies in the city Of $780,
1000 population, where there were 1876 sa-
looms to $4,000 population before the svs
tenn was adopted. The same man can be
accommodated again after a reasonable
tme-an hour or tWo-but not so soon as
to induce intoxicatien The sale of see
ond drinks or bottles is left to the iudg
ment of the attendant
The agencies are plain rooms with
s neat counters and shelving, but are
entirely without ornaments and are
MAGE as unattractiye as is consistent
with neatness and order There is no
music, no newspapers, pictures gliding
or mirrors, and no seats for the cusfo.
mers. Nobody is allowed to sit down.
and loat1ng and gossiping are not per.
mitted.
All sales are for cash. No credit is
allowed. Men without money cannot
get liquor; Nothing is sold to women,
nor TO children under eighteen, either by
the drink or bottle, nor to habitual
'orunkards, nor to persons whose wives
parents guardians or near relatives have
hled written objections, nor to persons !
under the influence of liquor nor to ner-
sons of unsound or feeble mind
The liquor is absolutely pure, and the
prices charged are therefore much highert
man IN ordinary saloons A, tariff az
prices hangs upon the wall The at
PENDANT is appointed by the directors
SUBJECT to the ratification of the NUM-
slpal council, and must be a, Trustworthy
man, teetotaler and one who is not
Tubject to brides or persuasion. He
wears uniform similar to that of a no.
Iceman, has number upon his collar
by Which he can be- identified ami e in
close relations with The police He is
sworn to obey the rules so far as the sale
of liquor goes, but is authorized to refuse
liquor to any person who. in his judg-
1nent, will be injured or win iIliure others
by its use. The widest liberty is allowed
the attendants in this respect. and aniI,s
ing stories are told of the compIaints
made against them and the reasons thew
report TO Justify their refusal to supply
applicants. Persons who are refused
liquor have no recourse Money loaned
to pay Tor liquor cannot be recovered N
the courts, and if q grocer supplies liquor
to families or in quantity to any person
he cannot enforce payment. Liquor
debts are placed on the same basis as
gambling debts in Sweden.
A few years of experience In Gothen-
birg taught the necessity of certain mod
ifications IN the original system and in
%l,.a 1cxry rr-fNs .1t1 "a