The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-21
ARMY'S USE OF ALCOHOL.

Description of the System of Post Ex-
changes, and the Prevalence of Drunk-
enness.
The so-called Post Exchange was es-
tabllshed five years ago at army posts,
taking the place of the post trader. 1t
was blished first by the officers,
but was sanctioned later officially.
From the trader the soldiers used to
obtain supplies of all kinds, including
beer and Gf the trader was willing to
take the risk of smuggling it in and
selling it surreptitiously) whisky. Do
ing business with TWENTY-FIVE thou
sand men, the post traders made a
handsome profit on their business.
Five years ago the officers inaugurated
the system of PostIExchanges. These
are cooperative stores. The goods to
be sold are bought at wholesale, and
are retailed to the men at a fair profit,
which pays for cost of handling, for
breakagc, spelling, and all other
incidental damage; and finally leaves
a margin which belongs to the
soldiers organization which estab-
lished the Exchange. Under this svs-
tenn it is possible for the first time to
see the profits which have been made
by the post traders in the past in their
legitimate business with the enlisted
men of the army. The fact that the
government supplies food, clothing
and medical attendance to the men
must be taken to account. This leaves
only luxuries to be provided from the
Exchange. In the last five years the
enlisted men of the army have spent
s., 600, 900 in the Post Exchange. of
which 81, 00O,0 has been the profit of
the Exchange. Of this 81 900, 900, $780,
900 has been used to equip the Ex-
changes and to stock them, and the re-
manning $500, 900 has been returned to
the soldiers organizations in divi-
dends. to be used chiefly in the i'm
provement of the mess. The food fur
nished by Uncle Sam is healthful and
in sufficient quantity, but it is not so
toothsome as it might be.
The Exchanges, being conducted as
private organizations under the sane
ton OF the war department., make no
report of the detailed expenditure of
the money which passes through their
hands. 1t is impossible, therefore, to
tell from any facts on file in the war
department what proportion of the
five million dollars was spent for beer
For, under the regulations established
by the secretary of war, beer is sold in
the Post Exchanges. Certain precau-
ticns are thrown around the sale. The
beer is sold in a room separate from
the place where other supplies are to
be bought; and it is provided express
ly in the law of congress of 1890 that
no beer shall be sold in Exchanges in
states where the sale of alcoholic
drink is prohibited. But the fact that
an alcoholic drink is sanctioned b. the
war department officially has been
made the subject of protests from
many army officers to the department
at Washington. Gen. o. o. Howard,
not long =. before his retirement,
expressed in an official report
the belief that to have the purchase
and sale of beer controlled by a COM
missioned officer was ito encourage
drinking, to cover the faults Of those
who take too much, sometimes taking
good care of them till the bad effects
are slept Off and to give, in any case.
a United States sanction to the bust
ness" Gen. Howard believed, with
some officers who reported to the de-
partment in favor of the prevailing
system. that the drunkard might be
induced in some cases to confne him
self to the less harmful intoxicsnt II