Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-09-30
y. %. o. Q. Column.
|. o. G. T. DIRECTORY OF ADD.
SON COUNTY
A NATIONAL CAUSE FOR lNVES-
TlGATlON.

Cuba and the large amount of sickness
among our boys in camp are facts we
would deny, If we could; but like most
facts, they are as stubborn as Bunker
Hill monument and won't down. The
blame for it all Is floating around in the
air like thistle down in the early autumn,
looking for a man to light upon. The
men upon whom we would look for 1t to
light do a good deal of blowing to keep
1t still floating in the air. The order of
Pres dent Mckinley for an investigation,
and the appointment of a committee of
nine to help this floating blame light
somewhere, is a response to national
call from the hearts of the people. 1t is
a move that concerns not only our re-
cent war, but the future efficiency of the
United States as national power; for
with the right arm paralyzed Uncle Sam
can make little Roadway among the ma
tons. When President Mckinley told
the committee that in this work of in
vestigation they were doing their country
great service, he did not make a mis-
statement.
The president directed the search to
medical bureaus of the war departing nj
but nothing was said of the canteen
"department'. We do not doubt but
that there is reason enough for directing
the examination towards the named de-
partments, but there is abundant reason
for including the canteen "department"
in the field of examination. The can
teen is a great department. 1t covered
the whole army with the exception of
twenty-six regiments.
At the beginning of the war strong
warnings against beer drinking by the
soldiers were given by the surgeons,
army officers and men of experience in
living in hot climates. Yet the principal
business of the canteen was to sell beer
lager beer.
In looking into the working of the
canteen system we would suggest the
following points for special examination
l. There were special instances among
our troops of great characterization, when
companies of our soldiers became shame
less, disorderly mobs, and behaved in
such way as to give Spain an opportu-
nifty to congratulate herself that they
were not enlisted under her flag. Their
conduct would have disgraced her civil
zation. We have had some of this in
Burlington, since our Vermont troops
returned to the state.
The army holds such a relation to the
country that such conduct vitality con-
Germs the whole country from the tramp
to the president. Our volunteer army
was representative, being drawn from all
classes of the people. Its conduct can
rightly be taken by other people as a
test of our national moral character and
an indication of the quality of our civil.
cation. Such conduct gives a glimpse
of our army discipline. What part did
the canteen have in such proceedings
If it is in any way responsible it should
be made known, and everything we
value as nation demands the suppress
sion of the canteen system.
,. While a great amount of Christian
work was done among the soldiers and
many of the boys found Christ Saviour,
yet it is claimed that the canteen caused
many of the boys to learn to drink, SO
that parents who gave their boys into
the hands of the government sober, will
receive them back drunkards. The
sOrrows of such parents should be needed
in this investigation and the responsible.
ity of the government for such work
should be made known. The canteen is
an institution of our government, exist
ing only as the president and two or
three under him permit it to exist. In a
good measure, it is put into the army
system.
In a letter to the Voice of New York
dated Santiago de Cuba, July 30, 1898
Major General VIM. H. Shafter wrote
81 have always been strongly opposed
to the canteen system or the sale of in
toxicating drinks of any kind on military
reservations and have opposed it until
absolutely Overruled and required to es
tablish canteen at my post. | regard
it demoralizing to the men, besides i'm
pairing seriously their efficiency. There
are always in every regiment number
of men that will under any circum
stances get and drink liquor, but the
great majority are temperate, abstemiou:
men, and 1t is to those that the evil eff
fects of the past exchange system works
the greatest injury, as young men whC
would not think of going away from the
post for liquor will, when it is placed
before them and every inducement of
fered them to purchase, do so, and thus
gradually acquire habits of intemper
ance."
This testimony should be subjected Il
rigid proof or denial, as it is of vital i'm
pOrtance to us as national power. \
debauched army is poor attachment t
a Christian government.
3. The physical collapse of our army
in Cuba is enough to almost stop GU
glorying over the brilliant victories o
army and navy. The cause of that col
lapse is one of the points for investiga
ton by the committee of nine. The re
lation of alcoholic drinks to it should b.