New-York tribune., 1909-02-05
rE,tpERANcE IN NORWAY.

The news Of the formation Of a great ma
tional anti-prohibitonist league in Norway Will
come as q surprise to those who have been
vainly imagining that under the "Samlag,' or
company, system the liquor problem IN that
country has been satisfactorily and finally set
tied. We remember hearing the "SaHlag
system OF Norway and the somewhat similar
"Gothenburg" system of Sweden acclaimed as
having transformed the most drunken countries
of Europe into the most temperate, and as being
therefore worthy of universal adoption. Yet
now in Norway, where the better of TIE two
systems has prevailed for more t51n a third
of century, a widespread and aggressive
movement is In progress to replace 1t with
prohibition and now a counter movement in
support of the company system, has been reck-
oned necessary, with the campaign cry of lib
erty and civilization against prohibition and
| coercion"' Evidently the "Samlag' Is not uni
versally accepted as the perfect thing which
| some have represented it to be.
Years ago Norway was indeed one Of the
| most drunken countries in Europe. There was
then no license system, but every family was
free to operate It's own domestic still and TO
produce 'brandywine" for home nelghbor-
hood consumption in unlimited quantities from
grain potatoes or anything else which would
yield spirits. In those days, threequarters Of
century ago, the yearly consumption of
strong distilled spirits amounted 10 fourteen
quarts head of the population. In 1871 the
"Samlag" was adopted and a great reform was
effected Under that system the production
and sale of liquor in each community are in
trusted 10 a "phiIanthropc" corporation, which
retains only per cent profit on its capital and
turns over to the state all gains above that
figure. OF that revenue, 10 per cent is returned
to the community for local uses. and the rest
| goes into the national treasury. Best of all.
there are strict provisions limiting the num-
ber of drinking places and the hours Of sale.
and regulating the general conduct of the busi-
ness in the interest Of orderliness and tenn
| perance. As a result of this system the aver
age consumption OF distilled spirits has de-
clined from fourteen quarts to about three
| pints a head. Unfortunately, the "Samiag''
| deals with spirits alone and not with wine or
| beer, and there has been a considerable in
crease in the demand for the latter beverages,
| especially FOR Il sO-called wine which really
| has relation to grape Juice, but is a con-
coction Of diluted alcohol and some coioring and
| havoring materials. It is this circumstance
which has chiefly provoked the organization of
a prohibitionist movement
The existing law provides for q general svs-
tenn Of local option. Every five years, on the
demand OF per cent Of the people a vote
may be taken sin each community to determine
whether liquor shall shall not be sold at ell.
The choice is between the "Samlag" and prohI,
DltIon- AAe -ouppoi1ei VI lhe odHidS are,
as rule opposed to prohibition while many
of the prohibltionists regard the "Samlag' as
n stepping stone 10 total abolition Of the drink
traffic That the latter has proved to be the
case in many places is not to be denied. Rural
Norway is now largely pTohibitionist, and some
considerable towns after some years expert
ence OF the 'Samlag." have voted for outright
prohibition. The present ti-prohibtionist
movement is therefore apparently intended to
support the company system and to seek its
restoration where it has given place TO prohi-
biton. The outcome OF the agitation will be
watched with interest comparable with that