Show OUR norwegians NORWEGIA NS the norwegians Norwegia ns who come to this country are sober and industrious they are a vigorous people and their sturdiness adds to the wealth of bu hu man endeavor in america wo we have often asked why the scandinavians are a race of stalwarts stal warts and the answer r volunteered Is that the simple life ha has made them almost physically per feet but there Is a report from an american merlean representative at bergen that hag has appealed to us as disclosing one 0 of the most potent factors in th the c preserving of tho the health and morals of tho iho people of norway jn in the past fifty years the population of that country has increased sixty per cent but the f of per inhabitant has decreased 45 per cent the decrease has been most marked in the past twenty years that Is a able record in sobriety eky the right to sell liquor in norway is fr granted by municipalities but the company obtaining the license binds itself to carry on the traffic in the interests of the community voth ith a fixed annual return ot of not more than 5 per cent on its paid up capital in establishing the system the question of compensation does not appear to have presented much difficulty when the or state system was introduced two hinds kinds of licenses were in existence those granted annually or for a term not exceeding five live years and privileged licenses granted for the life of the licenser in the case of the first no compensation whatever was paid to those dispossessed of their licenses in regard to the latter compensation pensa tion was was granted in the form of an annuity equal to the average yearly profits for the three years pieced ing the suppression of the lice license be this provision is still in force fore with these provisions the alms and principles of the are summarized as follows the elimination of private profit and securing the monopoly value for the public insuring highest quality of liquors sold the reduction of the number of licenses t the easy enforcement of the law the destruction of the power of the trade and the furtherance of all progressive gres sive measures of reform the allotment of the profits in norway at present are as follows to the state go 65 ter cent to the municipality in lieu of larger license duties now abolished 15 per cent and to objects of public utility not being chargeable on the rates but operating as counter attractions tr to tho the public house in towns 10 por per cent and an in the surrounding districts 10 per der cent the combined capital capit alof of all the sam lags in norway in 1904 amounted to 1 and it has never been more than the profits of the trade even under those theve restrictions have contributed since uince the establishment ot of the system for objects of public interest during the past eight years the proportion accruing to the state has been increased and set apart till 1910 to form the nucleus of an 0 ld id age pension fund which now amounts to where alcoholic liquors are excessively used there Is bound to arise misfortunes there Is no doubt that in the united states today there Is to too 0 much strong drink indulged in and that the people are suffering from its effects long jong continued these abuses will tell unfavorably on our mat national ional life just as sobriety ev in norway borday has had its off effect act in the opposite direction tending bending to preserve a race of |