Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1910-12-30
DRINKING ABROAD.
Eoreiln Regulation System Rccof-
nized as 4 Temperance Afent,


nized as = Temperance Agent.
Some of the most advanced sys-
tens of dealing with the drink busi-
ness in Europe will pay examina-
ton, says II. f. o. Heineman on
The Drink Question. The oldest
and most talked about is the so.
called Gothenburg system, now ex-
tensively adopted in Sweden. The
retail traffic is placed in the hands
os public corporations, the profits,
after deducting 5 per cent. on the
capital invested, going to public
purposes. The public spirit shops
are very few in number and unat-
tractive, where man goes in and
takes his dram and leaves. He can
buy all he wants by the bottle in
other places, not to he used on the
premises. This company control
does not extend to beer and wine,
which are not considered in the
same class with spirits. Neither
does it extend to any spirits and
wines containing less than 25 per
cent. of alcohol. Local option ob-
tains largely in the count try districts,
but does not cover the sale OF beer or
light wines.
In Norway this system has been
modified, but is in the main similar.
The number of spirit shops is very
small-in Bergen. the principal city,
one to over $500 of population-in
the greater part of the rural dis.
tricts there are none. But o pOpu.
lar highly fortified wine, called lad
devin. is imported and extensively
sold, not being controlled by the
companies" Beer and light wines
are free, the public places where
they are consumed paying merely an
occupation tax and being under po-
lice control like all other stores and
shops, except in country districts
where the prohibition partly prevails.
In Sweden and Norway the con-
sumption Of spirits at the public
bars has greatly decreased, out these
are conflicting estimates of the
amounts Of strong drink consumed
that do not come under the com
panies." Beer is becoming more
popular, being considered an agent
temperance. There is believed to
have been a great diminution of pub
lie drunkenness.
Switzerland has government
monopoly of the traffic in spirits,
leaving beer and light wines free.
The consumption of spirits has been
almost cut in two and their quality
greatly improved. Temperance e
restaurants" sell beer and wine as a
matter of course, but no spirits.
Absinthe has been recen tly prohibit
ed.
Holland has no government mOnOp-
oily and does nothing to eliminate or
curtail private profit. 1t has three
classes of licenses-one to sell soft"
drinks, one at o nominal fee to sell
nothing stronger than beer and
light wines, o third to sell spirits
and all other drinks. The number
of third-class licenses is very small
and the fee comparatively high.
AS in the other countries. the laws
are strictly enforced. Holland is
being rapidly weaned from the gin
habit. and the new law, only q few
years in force, is seemingly doing
wonders for temperance.
Denmark has freed all beer con-
tanning not more than 2t per cent.
by weight Of alcohol, so that such
beverages pay no tax or license fees.
The temperance societies secured the
passage of this law and have built
Temperance Homes" all over the
country, having restaurants, read
Ing and billiard rooms, and halls for
meetings, social gatherings, dances.
etc., at all of which these light beers
are served together with chocolate.
coffee, etc. In rural communities
where no halls are available, the
school houses are used for these pur-
poses. The consumption OF spirits
has been greatly reduced, while the
use Of beer, and especially the tax
free kinds. is advancing. The ar
rests for drunkenness in Copen-
hagen, a much larger city than
Gothenburg and known as a pleas.
ure-loving place, where the greatest
freedom exists in the sale OF alcoholic
beverages, and even on Sundays the
hours are the same as on week days,
are sixteen to 1000 Of population,
as against fifty-two in Gothenburg.
Through all these systems-the
only ones that, as far as government
interference is concerned, have had
any measure OF success in diminish
ing intemperance-there runs one
common principle. viz: The en-
couragement of the mild drinks as a
temperance measure. Some make
that principle the leading one, and
they seem the most successful.
Others make it second in import t.
ance, and they seem to be less sue
cessful than the former, though still
more so than all other countries.