396 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



alcohol per hundred of insane ; from these it appears that after 

 suffering a slight diminution on the application of the law, the 

 proportion rose between 1878 and 1882. 



From this summary I find that of the measures so far adopted 

 against alcoholism those have produced the most important re- 

 sults which, taking account of human weakness and of the hard- 

 ships of the struggle for existence in certain classes, have aimed 

 to remove from the man the occasion for falling, in the adoption 

 of which Norway leads among European states. 



The repression which appears to me to be indispensable has so 

 far played only a very secondary part ; but I acknowledge that 

 the German project presents a collection of repressive measures 

 which may be of real efficiency. 



If I could venture to formulate a few principles as the basis of 

 legislation against alcoholism, I should propose : aiming at the 

 dealers by limiting their number to a pro rata of the normal needs 

 of the population ; raising the license fee to the highest possible 

 amount; giving license, as the German plan contemplates, only to 

 persons of known morality ; imposing on them, by a system of in- 

 spections and frequent analyses of their stock, the obligation to 

 sell only completely rectified spirits ; prohibiting their selling on 

 credit, and declaring drink debts null ; forbidding their selling to 

 youths of less than twenty years of age ; making them responsible 

 for all mischief committed by persons coming from their establish- 

 ments ; and absolutely refusing license to all commercial establish- 

 ments other than those especially devoted to the sale of liquors. 



If we add to this an increase of the taxes on alcohol large 

 enough to make the price of a glass too high for the man's purse, 

 complemented with a reduction of the taxes on natural wines, tea, 

 coffee, and sugar ; supplementing this with frequent lectures on 

 the benefits of sobriety and the anatomical injuries and physio- 

 logical disorders produced by alcohol ; and especially if we 

 endeavor to preserve the rising generation from promiscuous 

 associations and the corruption of the great centers, and instill 

 into their hearts from infancy the principles of sound morals ; 

 and if the repressive laws against intoxication are rigorously 

 executed the penalties against it are faithfully inflicted, and 

 the protection of children against demoralization and abuse by 

 unworthy parents which I have had introduced into our laws 

 is guarded, we may perhaps see the rising wave of alcoholism 

 recede. 



This is the course, in my opinion, upon which those govern- 

 ments which, having assured the grandeur of their countries, per- 

 ceive how it is threatened by alcoholism and how urgent is the 

 necessity of arresting the progress of the vice, should now reso- 

 lutely enter. 



