The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1890-07-24
THE CANTEEN SYSTEM.
A Captain In the Regular Army u
nOunces the Institution.

A Captain In the Regular Army De-
nounces the Institution.
A Captain in the regular army, at a
post where the canteen system has had
fair trial, writes to the Kansas City
Times, strongly condemnlng it. The
Times says the views expressed are not
its own, but they seem to US sensible
and truthful. He calls attention to the
fact that the officers loudest in praise of
the system are at posts in, or near,
cities where they can purchase the sup
plies which post trader usually keeps,
but who wish a place where they can
buy tobacco and liquor cheap. The post
from which he writes is a hundred
miles from railroad, with no store of
any kind near. Their trader carried a
stock of goods valued at S75, 900, such
goods as are needed at the post, and his
prices were reasonable. We give the
rest in his own words:
But along comes the order from
Washington to do away with this large
and varied stock Of goods, so convenient
to both officers and men, and substitute
che cantoen. And what have we in the
canteen? Beer, with big Il, wine, to-.
bacco. ,,ig's feet, sausage, pies and sta
tionery This in place of the hundreds
of articles OF dry-goods, hardware,
groceries, ETC., that our trader kept.
''The' tendency of the canteen is to
relax drills and work so the men can
have more time to loaf at the so-called
amusement room. If they are drilled
as repaired by orders and regulations,
they would be so busy during the day
that tley would find no time to spend
in the Government saloon, and at night
would be so tired they would be glad to
go to he'd at nine for a healthy rest and
Sleep
my service extends over twenty
years, add most of it has been on the
frontier. The happiest and most con-
tented garrisons I have ever been in are
those where both officers and men are
worked continuously from sun to sun.
Part drill and part the necessary ia
tigue work Of the post 1t is no kind
ness to command to allow them to
loaf about saloon while their post,
fences and buildings are going to rack
and ruin, and the battalion rapidly los
ing all skill and knowledge of drill.
about the only argument for the
canteen that have heard is that it
creates large company fund with which
to feed the men. Would it not be bet.
ter for the morals of the army to in
crease the ration, say to three pounds of
fresh beef every day, and add butter,
potatoes and onions? Then the saving
on the salt meat would be sufficient for
all practical purposes. 1t seems to me
this Government is we'll able to bota
pay and feed its soldiers, and not de-
pend, as now, on the soldiers weakness
to fill his stomach. IT,
II claim it is an insult to ask an off,
Ger or soldier to take charge of q can
teen as now conducted. It is sad
sight to me to see a man who has served
his country faithfully for years, still in
its uniform and pay, standing behind q
bar dealing out death and destruction
to his comrades. and himself gradually
sinking to their level.
bad as the liquor business is in civil
life, 1t is always a cash business, and
does not teach men the bad habit of
contracting debts. Not so with the
Government saloon. Here every in.
ducement is held out to the soldier to
anticipate his pay. He is encouraged to
contract debts, and the canteen onicer
is expected to sit alongside the pay
table and rob the men of their pay be-
fore they can get outside to settle their
honest debts. The laundress and the
tailor must wait till the saloon ID salts
ned; then. II any thing il left, they
can take their chances of getting their
hard-earned wages.
A AoDsRATE drinker Is worth thou