The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-10-21
GOTHENB BURG SYSTEM.
THE OUTCOME OF ITS GENERAL
 ADOPTION IN SWEDEN.
Drunk enness, Vice and Crime Greatly Rcduced-Features of the System as enfs Still Have to Say Against It,

enfs Still Have to Say Against It,
 Stockholm, Sept. S-The so-called Gothenburg system of regulating the liquor traffic, which prevails in Sweden and with some modifications in Norway and Finland is based upon the theory that the evil of intemperance cannot be entirely eradicated, but can be re- duced to a minimum by practical regu- lations. It does not attempt to prevent the use of intoxicating liquors, but to prevent the abuse of them.
 The fundamental law of Sweden per- mits local option in dealing with the liquor traffic by the votes of the peo- pie, including women taxpayers, and four of the provinces of the kingdom are entirely without saloons. The Gothenburg system has been adopted by eighty three out of a total of ninety two municipalities. The remaining nine either prohibit the liquor traffic entire ly or license private dealers. In the country districts the sale of liquor is generally prohibited, but people who are in the habit of drinking obtain sup plies from the agents of the Gothen- burg system in the neighboring towns One can get beer everywhere. It is the common drink of the people and it's use is growing more and more general. In 1850 the annual consumption of beer was about 300,0 900 hectoliters. At pras- ent itreaches 100000 hectoliters, the population having increased about 25 per cent. in the meantime. In 1850 the average consumption of beer per capita wassabout 10 liters. Now it is about 2S liters. The Swedish beer is very light and contains a low percentage of alcohol.
 The results of the adoption of the Gothenburg system are seen in every direction and appear in every table Of social statistics not only in the de- crease in the consumption of intoxicat- ing liuuors, but in the decrease in drunkenness, poverty and crime. There is no question, and the Prohibitionists do not deny that the system has been practical and beneficial, so far as 1t goes. but they object to it for several reasons.
 No country has suffered so much in the past from the unrestricted manu- facture sale and use of intoxicating liquors Fifty years ago there was "a public house in every cottage ana lI2,- 124 distilleries of spirits from potatoes and corn. Every landholder had the right of distilling and so terrible were the effects that in 1854 parliament passed a law prohibiting private distill- ing. taxing public distileries so heavily that most of them were compelled to suspend operations, and giving local op- tion to cities, towns and parishes. But while this law promoted temperance to a certain degree, 1t was practically 2 failure and In 1865, after an aglta- tion the common council of Gothen- b,re intrusted a company (caled bolap) composed of twenty benevolent oit;zens. with the monopoly of the 1inuor traffic in that city upon the con dition that the profits, over and above 6 ner cent interest on the capital invest ed should be paid into the municipal treasury, and that no person should ol- rectly or indirectly enjoy any further necuniary benefit from the sale. A similar scheme had failed in the mining town of Fahun some years before put +ba management in Gothenburg was ,,,.,,5ent and skilful enough to make it a great success there.
 The stock of the company was d1Vld- ad into 150 shares, which were taken bv prominent business men and per cons in whom the public had confidence Its affairs are managed by poaru oL directors. one-half of whom are elected bv the shareholders and the remainder by the municipal council, The govern