The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-02-23
RUSSIA ABoLIsHEs SALOONS.
Bare, Cold Stores Substituted with
No Drinking on Premises.

The SEQ Government shops I'm st. Peters,
burg where vodka is sold are meant to super
saloons which formerly adorned the thor
oughfares Of Russian cities and towns. Just
as they do in our own blessed land. In these
sit and sip their vodka by the nour the day
or the night. and find In jovial companion
ships ence uragement to further excuses. Now.
except for Q very small number Of traktirs
and the restaurants Of higher class. this evil
is abolished. The Government depot for the
sale of vodka Is bare and uninvting except
for its air of decency and cleanliness A rign
over the door announces the character OF the
establishment. and you enter to hnd yourself
before long counter with cage above IT,
and two little gates like In a bank. Behind
on shelves. are quantities of the bottles Of all
sizes and both qualities. arranged with utmost
precision, and in the rear room reserve
stores replenished by the cases which are con-
stantIy sent rom the factory.
door admits a never-ending stream OF Gus
toners during hours. The shops are closed
at might, and open only for short time on
holidays. Some Of those who enter are laden
with empty bottles. and thus get the prirs
discounted on their next supply: some go away
like John Gilpin. with huge bottle on either
side. while others pass over kopecs. carry
their small measure OF vodka outside. whero
they knock .he cork out with a blow. swallow
the bottle for more. paying only 4 kopeos
this time. But when man Is actually drunk
the shopkeeper Is not allowed to sell him any
more liquor, and there is no place In the
shops where the customer may sit down; TO
drink SO much q drop the premises is alb
solutely forbidden.
In connection with these shops there lare
some interesting facts relative to the Govern
ment policy in running the monopoly. The
conditions attached to the part Of the shop
keeper are such that well-educated. sell -re-
spectig men and women undertake the
work. Out Of $50 shops in ST. Petersburg. 800
attended by women. and they are paid q
salary OF from 72o to 900 fubies a year.
This is good pay in Russia Besides. thoy
have lodging over the shop. with fuel and
light. Sometimes, also. they are provided with
an assistant. / wins told that the most Of
these women were of good family and talked
French fuently. None Of the many women In
this employment has ever taken a kopec from
the monopoly. whereas there has been consid-
cradle loss through the dishonesty of men en-
ployes. Therefore, women are generally pre-.
ferred In the country shops-the sum total
of all the monopoly shops Is about 900
the keepers are mostly men. 1t is necessary
to maintain 2 900 collectors who are prin-
cipally from the peasant class. to gather In
the accounts and the money received in the
shops and from licensed traktirs.
When De White first laid his scheme before
the council OF Ministers, one made the OBJ
lection that II would be impossible to trust
the officials with 80 much money To which
he answered:
IT am quite sure that II embezziement
appens It will be among the higher official
classes rather than the lower" An ! his
words have proved true. The humble officials
have performed their tasks with remarkable
honesty.
But interesting as are the methods Of the
Russian Government in constituting itself
sole manufacturer and seller Of a pr duct
for which there is such an enormous demand.
the essential point concerns attainment rather
than the means employed. Has the vodka
monopoly in Russia realized the prophecies of
De Witte and his supporters?