Los Angeles herald., 1905-07-09
WHAT SYSTEM IS THAT MAY
BE INSTALLED HERE
SUCCESSFUL FOR 40 YEARS
Does Not Do Away With Saloons, but
Makes Them Decent and Of
Profit Only to the
City

Angeles the so-called Gothenbere svs-
tenn Of liquor control is progressing SO
well that 1t is expected to have it on
an authoritative basis within a few
days. A committee of fifty is forming
TO put the project before the public. of
which about forty-five have be
secured. 1t is expected that fully ST.
100000 will be required to give the
project actuality, and the money will
be forthcoming when needed.
People in Los Angeles have not a
very clear conception of the Gother-
berg system in it's details. They have
an idea that It contemplates the aboli-
tion of the saloons, the turning of them
into restaurants or coffee houses,
prohibition and various other things,
none of which applies. 1t merely
is a system of control of the Ii
quor question in such way that most
of Its pernicious effects will be abo,-
ished, though ones ability to take a.
drink IL he desires--his personal free
dom-will not be restricted At the
same time that it recognizes the liquor
business as an actually and necessity,
it aims at such regulation OF 1t as shall
minimize the evil features and tend to
better the condition Of those dealing III
or consuming it.
How 1t Started
The system takes its name from
Gothenberg, a Swedish city of 125, 900
persons, where it was founded in 1865
1t is thus no new affair, but a matter
Of forty years standing. 1t has been
found Of such value that 1t has spread
over the greater part of Sweden, Nor
way and Denmark. The idea originated
in 1854, when a committee named to
ascertain causes for pauperisrn looked
upon drink as one of the most potent,
and sought ways and means to de-
crease it. s
Among others, they considered the
plan Of taking liquor sales out of the
region Of profit making. They formed
a company of men willing to invest
their money for per cent income, and
this company, as the saloon licenses ex-
pired, purchased them. The number of
saloons was reduced and in every way
they were made highly attractive, light
and airy. The Swedish law compelled
the serving of eatables at all drink
shops, and on this largely the sue
cess of the movement was based.
The men installed in the public houses
were compelled to make their individ-
ual profits off the eatables and soft
drinks; the gain on the liquor sold
went per cent to the company and
the rest to the city. The rules followed
were:
The Rules
1. That neither the advancers of cap
ital nor the publicans should derive any
profit from the sale of spirits, all temp
tation on their part to push the con-
sumption of intoxicants being thus done
away with.
2. That the sale of spirits on credit
or publicans acting as pawnbrokers
should cease.
3. That the public houses should be
well-lighted and well ventilated, spaci-
GUS and cleanly.
Having, of course, a monopoly of the
traffic, for individuals could hardly af-
ford to own saloons at no profit, or 81
per cent the company was enabled to
issue regulations for the handling Of it
independent of the municipality and
along most advanced lines.
By this means the communes have
been enabled, in an indirect way, to|
tion of spirits more effectively than
ever before, and to mitigate the evil
effects of drink.
In this respect the endeavors of the
Bolag have mainly had for their object:
To make drink dearer.
To lower the percentage of alcohol.
To limit the quantity of spirits pro-
durable by any one visitor at any one
time.
To raise the limit of age for young
persons to whom spirits may not be
supplied.
To shorten the time for keeping open
the shops where spirits are sold for
off-consumption.
To restrict the public house traffic to
certain hours in the day. and to turn
the public houses into eating houses.
Made a Success
In spite of the opposition 1t has en-
countered from various quarters, the
system has fought its way triumphant
ly, and it is now adopted, although
partly modified, In most towns in
Sweden, and also in Norway and Fin
land.
Statistics show a most remarkable
result financially of the work. In 1858,
when we'll started. the city had one
public house for every 22SS inhabitants:
thirty years later, one for every 1T,4S1.
During twenty-three years qS75-1SsS)
the company turned over to the city
1925, 1850 kroners. which were used to
buy parks. museums, reading rooms, to