The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-15
ALCOHOLISM
N BELGIUM
That County Has Old-Age
Penion Burden.
WILL RAISE THE TAXES
Hope to Make People Quit
Drinking Gin.

Brussels. March 1.-THE old-age pension
| granted by Belgium TO its deserving poor.
| though it is only sixty-five francs a year
for each person. has proved heavy drain
| on the national exchequer; one much
heavier than the government anticipated
or found itself in a position 10 meet with
ease. Once the pension act was passed it
was in vain that authorities sought to di-
minish it's scope. Broadly speaking. near
ly every old workman in the country
proved his right to a pension. Not only
were all the applicants found TO be de-
serving by their Mayors and other local
authorities whose duty IL was to prepare
the reports. but all were also found. Off
cially, to be in the necessary state of des-
titution The old men, keen on gaining
their sixty-fve francs. said they We're
poor. and their words were always taken
at first, though many could be proved the
possessors of cosey cottages and trim
gardens, and even of cows and pigs.
bought with the savings of their long lives
of thrift. To inquire too closely into their
statements would result in penalizing the
thrifty, while rewarding the improvident.
or so it appeared TO the small local OFF,
Gals, and. therefore, on the coming into
force of the act they showed themselves
benevolence itself to all the old workers
around them.
The result astonished the government,
which finds itself forced to provide several
millions of francs more than 1t had an
ticipated. So urgent was the crisis that
nothing could meet it but a new and I'M
mediate taxation. the plan for which the
Prime Minister suddenly sprang on the
Chamber yesterday. This project con-
sists, briefly. in increasing the tax on al
cohol from 100 to $50 francs hectolitre.
In 1895 this tax, which until then stood at
81 francs was raised TO 100 francs. Its
new increase of 80 francs 10 hectolitre
will bring in an increase of 15.0oo 900 francs
to the revenue. With the increased tax
on alcohol there is united the abolition OF
all tax on coffee.
Taken together all the clauses are meant
TO represent a great temperance measure.
Already the old-age pensions have been
lost sight of in the wider field Of debate
which this measure has opened up. That
the government will gain all its Immediate
of course beyond doubt. 1t has large and
obedient majority.
The government will not succeed in stiff
ling agitation against the measure on the
part of distillers, either for its defeat or,
if that is not possible. for its repeal. The
Socialists cried out in the chamber last
night You do not want to kill alco-
holism, you want to profit by it,; and IT
might appear as if there were some truth
in their cry. There is none. This mea-
sure forced on as il is by a side wind of
the necessities of the old-age pensions. is
a real attempt to check the evil Of what
is known in these Continental countries
as alcoholism. and which is not the exact
equivalent of drunkenness The present
bill is directed against distilled spirits
only. Beer and wine are left untouched
by IT, 1t is the excessive use of cheap
and fiery spirits which 1t is sought TO
check. a large reduction per head In the
drinking of spirits is stated TO have FOL
lowed the last increase of taxation. The
present increase of duty may, it is quite
possible bring even greater reduction,
or even work a change in the peoples
habits by leading them 10 drink the more
wholesome beer instead of the fiery
Geneva, which they take at present In
such quantities. For, IL must be remem-
bered, the question here Is not one OF
drink or no drink. Il is one Of gin or
beer. The people like both drinks almost
equally well. That push may be a slight
increase in the price Of any drink. The
government believes II has found the way
to make the people drop gin. and, drop
ping gin. the people may become quite
sober II will be interesting 10 watch
the result which follows the adoption Of