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With regard to the education of children, one may say with satisfaction that it has made very considerable progress during the last thirty years, with the exception of no small number of children whose parents or guardians are addicted to intemperance, or thereby impoverished; but for the unfortunate offspring of such people the parish authorities are, according to the school and poor laws, bound to provide, and this duty is every year more strictly performed. The official reports show, from 1863 to 1863, an increase in the number of children attending school from 461,990 to 520,546, consequently an increase of not less than 58,556 children.

Concerning the frequency of such diseases as are especially generated by the consumption of ardent spirits, our official accounts are not so arranged that we can come to any certain conclusion in what proportion they have generally occurred more or less frequently after or before the temperance reform. The annual reports of the public hospitals and watering-places, however, show a considerable diminution of cases of alcoholismus chronicus treated there-viz., from 1862 in the following yearly proportion: 272, 190, 183, 176, 159, 163, and finally, in the year 1868, 102. Still greater is the diminution of cases of delirium tremens occurring there from the year 1864 to 1868, annually, from 400 to 360, 339, 256, and 126.

That mortality is decreased in proportion as the consumption of ardent spirits ceases has already been remarked. Mr. Huss points out the near connection between them when he quotes that in a town where the abuse of spirits is considered to be carried to the extreme, of the male population has died annually every thirtieth person, and in the province to which the town belongs every forty-seventh; while in another province, where the consumption of spirits is less, of the male population has died annually, upon an average, one in fifty-four; and in a third province, where ardent spirits are little used, has died, upon an average, only one in seventy-eight of the male sex,

It is estimated, upon an average, that of the male inmates of the madhouses 25 to 30 per cent. of the whole number have become insane in consequence of the abuse of ardent spirits. This refers, however, also to the disposition for madness caused by the intemperance of parents and ancestors. According to the official reports of our public madhouses, delivered since 1862, the number of lunatics remaining from the preceding year was, at the beginning of 1862, 36, who had, no doubt, become insane by the abuse of strong liquors. In the same year 14 similar persons were received; in the year 1863, 18; in 1864, 17; in 1865, 20; in 1866, 20; in 1867, 15; in 1868, 4; and in 1869, 8—these figures thus showing a diminution at which the philanthropist must rejoice.

The number of suicides has, on the other hand, in no small proportion increased. In the year 1861 they amounted to 288; in 1862, 294;

in 1863, 284; in 1864, 312; in 1865, 330; in 1866, 309; in 1867, 371; in 1868, 366; in 1869, 356; and in 1870, 368.

But, in case special attention is attached to the number of suicides which may be considered as directly proceeding from the abuse of strong liquors, the result will not appear sɔ deplorable. Returns thereon for the years 1841-1864 show that thus perished:

In the years 1841-1845, upon an average 46.6

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The effect of the new spirit-laws that came in force in 1855 is here evident. Any later returns bearing on this subject have not been issued.

It is presumed and asserted by persons best acquainted with the circumstances, such as judges and directors of prisons, that at least three-fourths of the crimes annually committed in Sweden originate, more or less, from a desire for strong liquors. He that expresses himself most clearly in this respect is the most experienced director of prisous probably in the kingdom, who has held appointments at houses of detention, as well as at ordinary prisons and cell-prisons for solitary confinement. His words are: "Murder, and other crimes caused by an excited mind, may almost exclusively be attributed to the vice of intemperance as the direct cause; on the other hand, I consider that theft and fraud, in general, are only indirectly attributable to it. Parents addicted to intemperance usually bring their families to poverty and misery, and it follows that the moral feelings of the children are blunted, so that it is not clear to them what is right or wrong. Being allowed to rove about for the purpose of begging a livelihood for themselves and parents, they become, from their childhood, accustomed to idleness and immorality, to which latter vice they are often enticed by the parents themselves. As they grow older, they feel ashamed to beg and find it more convenient to steal. Ilence we derive most of our thieves, whom I consider almost incorrigible, inasmuch as few, perhaps hardly two in a hundred, have returned from that path. The root and origin is consequently a neglected education, most frequently caused by the parents' desire for intemperance.

The Gothenberg system of license, under which a responsible commercial company assumes the entire control of the liquor trade, paying over to the town treasurer all profits arising from liquors sold, while it is restrictive and favorable as compared with the former period of "free trade" in liquors, still permits a large traffic. During the year 1875 the profits realized by the company on liquors

sold and paid into the town treasury amounted to £35,000, or $175,000. The consumer of intoxicating liquors pays his money, not to swell the gains of the individual liquorseller, but to the common treasury of tax-paying citizens. Valuable to the extent that it is restrictive, the system does not provide a panacea for the crying evil of intemperance, which license in any form for drinking purposes aggravates, and which prohibition only is adequate to re

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TEMPERANCE IN INDIA.

WITH the advent of the British army and representatives of British commerce in India intoxicating liquors were also introduced, greatly to the detriment of the soldiers, the commercial traders, and the natives. To counteract their evil results temperance societies have been organized. In 1862 a "Soldiers' Total-Abstinence Association" was established. It was reorganized in 1872, and is now in a flourishing condition, with seventy-three branch societies and an aggregate membership of 8,217. The effect of this temperance effort upon the condition of the army is most salutary, both in a physiological and moral sense. Most of the leading societies have established tempe. rance rooms, where the members can meet and read and take their tea and coffee, just as their non-abstaining comrades congregate at the canteen where intoxicating liquors are dispensed. Where these temperance rooms have been established and fairly tried they have become very popular with the men. The climate of India is unfavorable to the health of the British residents without great care. The army records show a much greater immunity from sickness and death, as well as an almost entire absence of disorder and crime, among the men who are teetotalers, as compared with those who use intoxicating liquors. The Prince of Wales was so much impressed, on the occasion of his late visit in India, with the usefulness of the Soldiers' Total-Abstinence Association, that he left a donation of three hundred rupees to its funds, as a recognition of the services of the Association in promoting the best interests of the soldier by suppressing drunkenness in the service. A temperance magazine, On Guard, is published monthly, and circulated among the members of the Association and others interested in the cause of temperance. It contains much instructive and entertaining reading matter, and its influence for good is felt beyond the limits of the army.

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The President of the Soldiers' Total-Abstinence Association for 1876 is Brigadier-General J. S. Bell, of Bombay. There are forty-eight vice-presidents, representing Calcutta, Agra, Morav, Lucknow, Cawnpoor, Merut, Benares, and other Indian towns. The Chairman of the Executive Committee is Lieut.-Col. C. Ball Acton; Secretary and Treasurer, Rev. J. Gelson Gregson, of Agra.

The following "Rules" are the constitutional basis of the Soldiers' Total Abstinence Association:

I. That this Association be called "The Soldiers' Total-Abstinence Association."

II. That the object of the Association be the formation of total-abstinence societies for the suppression of drunkenness in the British army in India.

III. That the Association be managed by an Executive Committee of nine members of the Association, to be elected or re-elected annually. IV. That no branch society be formed in any regiment or battery without the sanction of the commanding officer.

V. That the following pledge be used by all societies:

"I promise, with God's help, to abstain from all intoxicating liquors, except when administered medicinally or in a religious ordinance, so long as I retain this pledge."

VI. That no political or religious discussions be allowed at any of the meetings, and that membership be open to all ranks, women and children.

VII. That every branch society be managed by a committee, consisting of a president, treasurer, secretary, and a member from each company, to be elected or re-elected for six months.

VIII. That every branch society have its own code of rules, respecting subscriptions, etc., subject to the approval of its commanding officer.

IX. That temperance honors be conferred upon members who have been pledged abstainers and had their names off the canteen-roll for six months, and twelve months, and five years, from the date of joining the Association.

Temperance honor for six months: the Association illustrated card of honor.

For twelve months: the Association silver medal.

For five years: the Association silver star of the Order of Good Merit. X. That all claim to a temperance honor, either card or medal, be forfeited when the member of the society breaks the pledge before receiving it, although he may have abstained the required time. The member must be an enrolled abstainer to be eligible for honors.

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