Thompson — The Gotheiiburg Liquor System, 401 



of this ^^Laclde" development I have ]3rociired a table which goes 

 a little farther back than the period covered bj this paper ; 



Tear. Amount imported. 



1881-^5 1,672,500 litres. 



188&-90 1,727,900 litres. 



liS91-94 2,320,300 litres. 



1S95 2,967,300 litres. 



1896 4,943,500 litres. 



1897 5,606,600 litres. 



1898 About same as for 1897. 



The "Ladde" problem is thus a problem which has come up 

 within very recent times for ^^Ladde'^ is the sole cause of the 

 enormous rise in the quantity of wine importation, a rise of two 

 and one-half million litres since 1895, as sho\\Ti by the above 

 table. How to meet this traffic is a burning question in the 

 liquor problem of N'orway to-day. ISTeither it nor the ale traffic 

 can continue in their present condition. More restrictive meas- 

 ures must be placed on both. Both, as we shall hope to show, 

 should be placed under regulations similar to the regulations 

 governing the traffic in brandy. 



The second new phase which we m,ust consider is the inter- 

 esting movement arising from a new law drafted in 1594. An 

 article of that law provides that, from that time on, a general 

 ballot, to which all resident men and women over twenty-five 

 years of age are alike eligible, shall determine whether or not 

 samlags shall continue in the respective municipalities; the re- 

 sult of balloting, as determined by a majority of votes shall be 

 binding for five years, w^hen again a new ballot may be taken. 

 This provision, touching as it did the very heart of the Gothen- 

 burg System, aroused interest and excitement everywhere. 

 Shall the wise systeml survive ? An abundance of advocates was 

 found on both sides. The samlags tried every possible means 

 to maintain public opinon in their favor. The teetotalers and 

 the temperance societies generally were strongly aroused, — to 

 them the coming election was to bring their desired victory for 

 prohibition. The first election was held in 1895. It was 

 mjarked by great excitement wherever it took place. In an in- 

 teresting treatise I find quotations from various !N^orwegian 

 26 



