The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-25

during yesterday morning SERVICE ne
presented II petition directed to Presi-
dent Mckinley, which was unanimous
ly adopted by the congregation present
asking the president to exert his au-
thority against the sale of liquor with
In the army lines. Following is the
petition:
To the President of the United States:
| Whereas The so-called army canteen
system professcdly designed to keep our
soldiers from the temptations of saloons
outside of camp, has in fact resulted in
bringing the saloon temptation directly
within the camp exposing thereto many
thousands of young men carefully nur-
tured in temperance principles in Chris
tian homes and churches.
| Whereas, The amount of liquor con-
sumcd uhe sales often averaging from
$l00 to $500 day to a CantCen) threatens
seriously to injure the military efficiency
of our troops and to cause widespread de-
moralization on the return of these troops
to peaceful life and
Whereas, Leading army surgeons de-
clare the use of alcoholic liquors of any
kind to be extremely dangerous to the
health and stamina of our soldiers cam
paigning in tropical climate like that
| of cuba,
| We, the undersigned, do hereby re-
| spectfully petition that you will to the
extent of your authority as commander
in-chief of the army, forbid the sale Of
intoxicating liquors at all post and camp
exchanges, or elsewhere within the lines
OF the armies of the United States
MIR. PIERCES COMMENTS.
Mr.. Perce's comments on the canteen
system as uttered in the church were
repeated with further observances to
a Tribune reporter later During his
recent trip to the south and which in
cluded his appearance in prominent
way before the International Christion
EndeaVor convention he spent a day
in the big army camp at Chckamauga
and there gained the information
which has led him. to go on record
against the canteen establishments. He
said:
I'm the first place every objection to
the sale of liquor in times of peace and
in customary places, applies to it's sale
to the soldier in camp. But there are
many additional plain and unassailable
reasons why soldiers should not be
allowed to use it. Army officers to a
man say the best soldiers are those
who do not drink intoxicants. The
truth of this assertion is confirmed in
a way by the bad aim and lack of
| stamin of Cervera's sailors who were
primed with brandy and whiskey only
to collapse during the famous sea
fight.
Army life at best is not conducive
to moral elevation, particularly among
the rank and file. l realize fully the
need of a spice and diversion to re-
lieve the mind and body of soldiers in
camp, but l don't think liquor a
proper means to bring it about. Gov
ernments which issue wine or beer as
rations do not have as good soldiers
as governments which restrict their
use. The canteen is more than a ply
steal menace to our soldiery, admit
tedly the best individually in the world.
These establishments offer too APPALLING
an avenue to young men who enter
the army as abstainers to be toler-
| ated.
"A soldier drunk before or after a
fight is not the better man or soldier
for having been in that condition Why
then should the canteen, which makes
this condition possible, be tolerated ?
especially in view of the fact that
neither army officers nor anyone else
can offer an argument in it's favor?
l would not be willing to compromise
on having beer issued as a ration for
the reason that it has not been shown
nor does anyone attempt to show
that it would be a benefit"
Mr.. Pierce was accompanied on his
visit to the Chickamauga camp by Rev
DR.. Wilbur Chapman, of Bethany
Presbyterian church, of PHILADELPHIA.
Wanamaker's church; Rev. DR.. Shand
of Washington; Rev. DIR. Doyle. of
oil Col Iii nd
tey, the famous gospel singer.
HIS EVENING SERMON.
, Mr.. Pierce's sermon topic last even
ing was know Thyself" He preach
ed from Proverbs III:13, Happy is tn,
man that tindeth wisdom and the
, man that getteth understanding" II
the course of his remarks, he said:
The most valuable thing is wisdom
from God. Every man and woman i!
capable of receiving it, barring his o
: her unwillingness. A student standins
on the rostrum at commencement day
: stands on the commencement of life,
, realities, the sterner duties of life Tn,
end of school life is not the end o
. study, however. | graduated and wit
, tears in my eyes told my favorite pro
fessor l loved him for two things h,
: had taught me, first that l didn't know
anything and, second, a desire to learn
, Recently / have travelled thousand
OF miles and through many states.
crossed many imaginary lines and wen
through the territories of many differ
ent states and city governments. Th
passage across the lines, though mad
in fact, seemed but imaginary; tn
boundaries could not be perceived
+ There is a transition, too from girl
hood into womanhood not discernable
So also there are transitory lines il
: our lives-they will not be perceived
) unless watched for and studied.
Y IF we demand from the world liv
e ing we must give back TO the worl
: something good for having lived in il
4 Mathematicians, chemists, botanist!
! etc, fail in all their researches if the,
/, fail to study self, the greatest stud,
permitted of man. The architect ne
: elects his profession If he neglects L
e study plans and specifications, tn
q physician il he fails to study the de
tails of his profession, yet man gen
orally fails to study self and is un
mindful of his power. He thus make
a mistake in hurting not only himsel
but in robbing the community of hi
I best talents because he has not take
l the trouble TO find those talents an
;, study them and apply them to thei
: best uses. If We found ourselves no,
: nightly We should rise!
THE text has a sweep wider tha
, spiritual Our lives analysed would b
i found to contain strange mixture!
). envy. pride, prejudice, love, justic,