The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-01
MARS AND ehMBBINUs.
The Compromise Proposed In Congress on
tho Eont Cnnteen Oneatl0n.

The Compromise Proposed In Congress ~
the Post Cauteea Question
WASHINGTON. May Sl.-The conference re-
port on the Army Appropriation bill mas mool
fed the provision In regard to canteens oS
making tho allowance for cRnteen buildings
Rymnasiums, drill halls and gun sheue
$4,000, and by Inserting the words tnat nc
alcoholic liquors, beer. or wine shall De sou OF
supplied to enlisted men in any canteen OF
most traders store III any State or Territory In
which the sale OF alcoholic liquors, beer, OF
wine is prohibited by law" Tho House had
appropriated 100000 for these buildings and
the Senate had refused to appropriate any
thing. Tho House had declined to put any
legislative restriction ON the sale OF stimulants
| in the post cant eers, while the Senate had In
sisted upon absolutely forbidding the sale even
| OF beer and wine.
As tho House, after preliminary victory OF
| the prohibitionists in Committee oil the WEoe,
had completely beaten them on fuller vote.
| 1t determined not 10 surrender TO the Senate
| on this singular proposal to regulate by act OF
| Congress what the War Department ought to
be competent TO control That some members,
| both OF the Senate and the House, sanction by
| their personal practice that entire abstention
! both from ardent spirits and from malt liquors
| which only q part Of these abstainers. never
| theless, seek to enforce upon others, may be
admitted. But 1t is not an edifying spectacle
to see others swigginR champagne. whiskey.
or rum while seeking to prevent the private
| soldier from buying glass OF beer at his Gov
| eminent canteen.
The conference committee hit upon a meas
ure designed to keep the members from prohi-
| bition States on good terms with their constit-
uents. while refusing to deal the soldiers
cooperative canteen the destructive blow it
would have received from stopping the sale OF
| beer there. 1t Is now urged that this is only n
nominal concession to prohibition. since few
! OF the garrisons come within the new restric-
tioh. In Maine, for example, the only garrison
Is that OF Fort Preble, where n battery Of the
second Artillery Is stationed. Still in South
Dakota prohibition State wo find at Fort
Meade five troops Of the Eighth Cavalry and
four companies OF the Third Infantry. At Fort
Sully. in the same State are three compa-
MES OF the Twelfth Infantry. AZ Fort
Randall In South Dakota are two companies OF
the Fifteenth Infantry Fort Bennett and the
Lower Brul6 agency in the same State have
each company Of tho Twelfth Infantry. Still.
whether these garrisons thus condemned to
oesressness are more or fewer Is not the main
ho n1 tptting them on different footing from
that Of their comrades N States and Territor-
les which have not established prohibition will
be ielt BY them to be keen injustice: and It Is
fortunate for the service that such discrimina-
tons are not to be more numerous. The con-
ference report in this respect Is better adapted
to securing votes for It's adoption from tho
represen tativcs OF prohibition States rather
than to the best interests Of the army,
cussed, but not vet acted upon. it Is considered
by Mr.. Blair and his associates to be a triumph
81 the rum power That is great mistake.
Ihe rum power has never favored the sale of
beer at the post canteens. On the contrary,
such a sale tends to break up its own business,
forts. The existing regulations. for the cam
teens expressly forbid the sale OF ardent spirits
behe n and even no OF vines the 9hy execution
1t Is expressly stated that the object Is to en-
courage temperance and to prevent the soldiers
the limits Of the Government reservation.
Once beyond the restraining Influence exerted
missioned officers, and Of the whole body OF
their comrades. soldiers are more apt, to drink
10 1as are as9 there Ta
q simple glass Of beer. On this point Col. A.
McD. McCook. commanding the Sixth lnfan-
proper restraint induces temperance among those
at the san,se whiskey denS WIN spring uph numbers
viii IN be ony ss S
T of & 9an be sSS @ Snd
% e Of The sosr T
under the canteen system. N''''N
,Ga eu5 a. B1nt Fif,h artillery reports Of
an important factor: In my opinion the amount
Of excessive drinking has sensibly dmin-
lsheI." Lieut-Col; j, s. Poland. Twenty-trst
the supply OF beer has had the effect, Of re-
duoing the use Of ardent liquors easily OBJ
tanned in the adjacent town" Capt J. W.
Powell. sixth Infantry. says that the Fort Lewis
canteen buys the best quality Of beer. and SOL
diers drink i in moderation who otherwise
might go 10 the low liquor ranches adjoining
the reservation" Col. X. l. Dodge, Eleventh.
Infantry. says that the net result OF tho Madi-
son barracks canteen In three months was
no Drunkenness, within post limits and the
In the face OF such testimony Congressman
can treat the permission to sell beer at the
canteens as triumph Of the rum power. They
must know that the latter is allied with the
perance Union in the present crusade against
the canteen system. We're the only loss to the
soldier from such a policy the restoration OF
the post traders high prices the case might
not pc quite as threatening to discipline. But
the deliberate PURPOSE to drive men out to the
Rrog shops, that are eager to welcome them
back. cannot be passed over 80 lightly. 1t would
be easy to cite testimony from scores OF
officers and posts similar to that already given.
congressman are men of the world they know
men who Join the army are 10 be absolutely
Kept from even taste OF beer from years end
TO years end Congress does not attempt to
enforce prohibition even In the District Of Co.
act sincerely and sonsibly In the present mat
ter. AS for tho soldiers those who are con-
demned to Rarrisons In the prohibitory States.
nnaer the conference schem9 are IN hard luck.
LIQUOR as other people do there: but 1t Is pity
that they may have to resort to strong drinks |
procured at high price and In a sneaking
way
A Crate Fire Is Also "a Fire.