The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1911-05-11
WATTFRSON VS.
ITS LAND OF beer

lIOu1SVllle COufler-JOurnal, ApTll 10,
from its editor, Henry Watterson, who
is visiting in Germany:
8 Writing from Munich, Bavaria, to
Louisville, Kentucky-if the compos-
ing room abridges it to Ky l will
massacre the staff of proof readers
when / get home--is much like writ
ing from Louisville, Kentucky, to Mu-
nich, Bavaria, because the essential
difference between the two, like that
between politics and parties in the
United States, is of fluid condition
and kind; the idiosyncrasy of Ken
tucky, whisky, of Bavaria, beer.
"There are other similarities. Munich
is the most beautiful city in Germany.
Louisville is the most beautiful city in
America. Vienna gets its pretty girls
from Munich. Half the pretty girls
on Broadway come from Kentucky
The Germans of Louisville are the best
people in the world. They seem part
and parcel of the Germans Of Munich
~ don't know much about whisky,
have never drunk enough of it to learn
they tell me the Kentucky brands
are the best ever and can well be-
lieve it, taking the Kentucky women
and the Kentucky horses as the
world g standards of excellence--but
/ am an expert on beer, and | do say
without the peradventure of a doubt,
or fear of successful contradiction -
that there is no brew on earth equal
to the Bavarian Hofbrau; howbet, the
especial brew which Adolphus Busch
makes for Tony Faust, comes near to
| it, whilst there is good beer to be had
in Milwaukee, in Louisville and even
in Cincinnati, bless her poor old soul!
81 hope / shall not too greatly Of
fend the Kentucky distillers, when
declare that, if / had the power,
would translate every distillery into a
brewery The cure for drunkenness, it
there be any cure, is light wines and
lager. The case hardened prohibition
ist who confesses himself unable to dis
tinguish between glass of grog and a
stein of beer-nay, who still further
discredits his Judgment by admitting
that he is unable to realize the amaz-
ing contraries betwixt bottle of
whisky and hole in the grounds
as much opposed to the one as to the
other. He makes no discrimination.
| AL drinks look alike to him, each hell
bent and sot-breeding, the most limo
cent tipple along with the strongest
spirits. The experience of continental
Europe is proof of my contention.
Here in Bavaria the beer consump-
ton is universal and enormous, and
there is no drunkenness of the sort
so common with us. | am indebted to
Consul General Thomas Willing
Peters for valuable collation. of facts
bearing upon the drink question from
this point of view.
"The laws governing the sale of
beer, wines and liquors in Munich are
| in the nature of the people and the
case extremely liberal. According to
the census of 1905, there were in Mu.
mich 53S,93S inhabitants, all, or az
least very high percentage, requiring
liquid nourishment, principally in the
form of beer To meet this need the
authorities granted permission to L.
4S0 saloons, in which beer may be
sold; 120 wine restaurants, eighty one
cafes and eight tea houses, making an
average of one establishment for the
sale of such refreshments to about 3l9
persons, exclusive of the floating popu-
lation. Considering that beer is both
food and drink and of universal con-
sumption, this is not high percent
age.
Any respectable person making ap'
plication to the proper authorities and
securing permission can open saloon
for the sale of beer; but bar where
other liquors as well as beer are sold
is subject to the restriction that II
must be four hundred meters distant
from any other bar of the same de-
scription, nor will permission be grant.
ed by the authorities unless they are
satisfied that the public require such
additional saloons for its convenience
Besides the regular income tax, IL
cense tax has to be paid according to
the rent which the saloon keeper has
to pay. The proprietor must keep an
accurate account and return certain
percentage on the profits of his bust
ness The hours for opening the beer
saloons and wine houses are ordinarily
from a. m, closing at III p. m, in
cluding Sundays and holidays, the tea
rooms and coffee rooms closing at
o 'colck p. m.
The question of prohibition is un-
known. The moral zealot would be
considered crank. Beer is not only
drink, but food, for a large proportion
of the population. The manufacture
of beer is under the strict supervision
of the law, which is rigidly enforced
and nothing but malt and hops can be
used.
"The consumption of concentrated
alcoholic drinks in proportion to that
of beer is exceedingly small. Beer and
light wines constitute the national bev
erage equally for the wealthy and the
lowly, the rich and the poor. The
many beautiful gardens where drinks
are dispensed, having comfortable ta
bles and chairs and good attendants
are crowded during pleasant weather
with the most respectable classes OF
society, ranging from the highest il
rank to the peasantry, all joining to
gether in republic of pleasure, drink
ing in moderation while enjoying thu
best of music. This is furnished as
rule by some one of the numerous
military bands. 1t is the same durin,
the winter months with the indoo