The Press., 1894-09-06
w. C. T. U. DEPARTMENT.
Our state Camp.

The state of. Connecticut has paid out $100, 900 for the military encampment oi 1894. In return the state of Connecticut has been treated to a notorious scandal disgraceful to the brigade assit is signif. cant of a laxity in morals andsa disregard of common decency. Visitors have de- sired to see only the best qualities in their hosts, yet they reluctantly admit the scandal. The Hartford Courant says Pretty much all the influences of the Murphy wave which swept over the state last year and brought the eloquent orator to Camp Morris had disappeared before Camp Bradley opened. There was plenty of evidence that 'Ned' Murphy's spirit did not prevail in camp this year."
 ''Plenty of evidence," indeed! There was evidence when the "baggage" des- tined for Camp Bradley proved to be full ly half made up of boxes, barrels and chests of liquors! "Evidence" when fully seventy-five dollars worth of intoxi- cants was consigned to one tents compa-
 
 days. Evidence" that no man could possibly overlook or mistake.
 All day Saturday the men in camp had nothing to do in the way of military ser vice." The holiday was made the oppor- tunity for unlimited drinking, in which the militia were ably aided and abetted by their visitors. The carousing was continued all day Sunday under the fresh inspiration of thousands of visitors who poured into camp. It is hardly necessary to go into particulars. There is painful sameness about drunken crowds on Sum- day excursions. There was the beer served free by the bucket-full; there were the men sent to the guard-house one on the verge of tremens: there were the women, sodden with drink. carted across the grounds; there was, too, as a natural consequence of all this, the double guard placed at the gate to handle the turbulent crowd
 But here is something which may we'll be told and emphasized. There was mass at nine o'clock at the Y. M. c. A. tent for the Roman Catholic soldiers of the First regiment, Father Broderick of- ficiating. There were five hundred in at- tendance. About a hundred and fifty from the First regiment. That is ons side. Now for the other. Rev. H.. H. Kelsey conducted SCI vice as chaplain of the regiment. Aside from Colts band and few civilians there were not over a dozen military men present, and of that number only two were commissioned off, cers.
 It is distinct detriment to the military service of the state to order the troops to camp on Saturday and give them Sunday for drunken reveis.
 The disorder in camp, especially after taps, was severely commented upon bv visiting officers. In company streets there seemed to be total disregard of the necessary regulations enforcing quiet after ten o'clock.
 1t has been carefully estimated by those who are in position to know that fully nlne-tenths of the men in camp indulged ln the use of intoxicants. Many of them never think of touching liquors at home, but when in camp they catch the spirit of demoralization. Nor is this spirit con- lined to the enlisted men. An astonish- ln9iy large proportion of the commission ed officers match with their champagne and brandy the beer and whiskey of the prlVates.-Comn. Home, Aug. 25th, 1894.
 Who can look unappalled upon the pie ture of nation maintained and defended by our boys in blue, trained in such an atmosphere as our state camp presents Have we become so enlightened (?) we have no further need of divine assistance Is the old-time statesmanship and sterling character to be superseded by reckless ness and debauchery? Are our men to learn to seek that power only which will conquer selfish ends and material ad- | Well for us, if we learn be- fore it is too late, that Righteousness exalteth nation, but sin is reproach to any people,"