The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-02
Editor Morgan Finds the Venice
Of the North Delightful.
Handsome and New Alongside
Old and Quaint.
BOATS AT THE HOTEL.
Swedish System of Handling
Liquors Is Discussed.
The People Seem to Enjoy the
Luxury of a King.
stockholm. Sweden. JuIy Il.

Stockholm. Sweden, July II.
Stockholm has been called the Ven
ice of the North" To my mind it is
more beautiful than the old original,
smelly, soaked Venice of Italy. It, IS
built upon rocky islands, and along the
shores of river and lake. The big
stream which connects the inland lakes
with the salt water of the Baltic rushes
through the middle of the city. and sends
its arms Ike canals in and out among
the islands thus formed. The city itself
is made up of handsome stone and ce-
ment structures, with plenty of color Of
yellow brick, red sandstone, white plas-
ter and green hills. The Swedes have
a taste for color about like mine.
prefer red, blue and yellow, decided ana
noisy. The Swedish flag is a yellow
cross on a blue field, and the picturesque
costumes and peasants garb are full
of the national colors and red to help
out. This IS the biggest city and best
harbor on the Baltic side of the Scandi-
navian peninsula and for centuries has
been the capital and principal town OF
Sweden. Good sized boats come right
up into the city and the ship that is to
take US across the Baltic is now tied up
to the sidewalk in front of the royal
palace, just across the river from my
MOTEL In recent years Stockholm has
grown rapidly. so that it now has near
~ a half million people and it has the
handsome and new alongside the old
and quaint, so that the heart of the
tourist is filled with delight.
We visited the palace of King oscar,
which is on a big island and is sur
rounded on ali sides except the water
front with business and trade Oscar
was at home but he was busy. The
only complaint 1 have against the king
of Sweden is that instead of charging
a lump sum for visitor to see the pal
ace, one has to pay kroner" to get
into the private apartments, another
kroner to get into the state apartments,
a third kroner to see the rooms of the
crown prince, and so on, until it takes
couple of good American dollars to get
through the whole shooting match. But
I don't care Oscar is not a rich king
Last year when Norway withdrew from
the union with Sweden Oscar lost the
third of his salary which had been put
UP by the NorWegians. Oscar has not
yet been forced to get out and work for
a living. but he must be hard run for
ready cash with big house and an ex-
pensive family, and 1 concede that as he
charges his own, Swedish subjects the
same rate he does his American friends,
complications.
There has been a good deal Of talk
in America about the Swedish system
of handling the liquor business, known
as the Gothenburg plan. This has
been generally adopted in Sweden and
all the evidence can gather is that
it works well, at least in contrast to
the old go-as-you-ple ease method. This
Is the plan: A company is organized
all the RIGHTS tn sell ffSniTjfC''
in a town. All the profit the company
makes over per cent on its capital,
goes to the municipality. Our con-
sular report quotes from governmen
statistics to show that this system has
resulted in decreased sale of liquor,
credit being given to the fact that
there is no financial object to be ac-
complished in pushing the sale, and
because the regulations as to closing
nights and Sundays are properly car
ried out But the exceptions to the
rule startled poor Kansas me- Wine
and beer are not spirits and do NOT
come under the law but are handled
on the same theory as milk and coffee
The finest building in Stockholm is not
a royal palace or national museum,
but a brewery. The cold climate and
the long winter nights Will account TO
some people for the propensity OF
Swedes for stimulants=the same as
the people of Scotland and England.
They tell me In Stockholm that in the
winter time the daylight begins at 9
and 10 O'Clock and the dark comes at
2 or O'Clock in the afternoon What
a fine long evening that would make
for reading and study Also what
long night that would make for the
man who went down town after sup
per at o'clock and only got home IN
time for breakfast at 10 o'clock the
next day What dark brown and
prolonged headache and taste there
must be for s'the boys" after a Swedish
night Quit A tourist seeking knowi-
! edge of art and literature ought not ID
/ let his mind into such things, but l
| can't HEP wondering at the time ahead
of the young Swedes when they gather
in the early twilight Of winters day
and sing. I'VE won't go home til
! morning With all Of this against
! them in tn way Of climatic conditions,
I take off my hat to the sober and IN
dustrious Swedes who go to church
| better, work harder and live Just as
useful lives as do the people in our
| own United States with its advantages
There is one Swedish character l
have not properly met" Swedish
! Punch am told by Americans who
/ have tried it that the taste is sweet
! the oder pleasant, the effect prolonged
1t is said TO have a longer range than
Holland "Schnapps2 or English gin or
/ Scotch whisky. and I wonder how II
Kansas tarantula juice
For monarchy Sweden is good
/ deal of a free country-with some
amendments and omissions. The con