The times., 1899-04-08
ABSTINENCE PEOPLE
RECEIVE B TURN N-DOWN
The President Refuses to Hear
Their Appeals.
Want Mr.. Griggs' Opinion on the
Army Canteen Reversed.
The Heavy Mail and Personal Visits
at the White House Bccom-
ing II Burden

The decision of Attorney General Griggs
on the army canteen legislation in the
last Congress, in which he holds that the
sale of intoxicating liquors, according to
that act, is not unlawful in army posts
or canteens has stirred the religious and
abstinence organizations throughout the
country TO wrath, and many societies assert
that they do not intend to submit to the
Interpretation placed on the law without
a strong protest and vigorous fight. They
seem to demand law of their own.
The protests are to be presented to Presi-
dent Mckinley and an appeal will be made
to him to abolish the sale of liquors in the
army altogether. Many organizations. par
ticularly the Women's Christian Temper
ance Union, have already started the cru
sade. They indicate a purpose TO be-
gin an agitation of the matter in the
churches throughout the country and to
have them urge on the President that he
carry out what they insist, despite the
Attorney Generals opinion, was the plain
intent of Congress. They say that the exc
cution of the law lies with him, and that
if he choose, the power is in his hands
to suppress absolutely the sale of liquor
in the army, and according to the state
ment of a member of the W. C. T. u, the
organization does not intend 10 rest until
Mr.. Mckinley has taken some action in
the matter They ask that the President
shall overrule Mr.. Griggs' opinion.
For the past week reformers and alb
stinence advocates have visited the White
House, both as individuals and as repre-
sentatives of societies, and attempted TO
see the President for the purpose of
bringing the subject before him. Letters,
kilograms. and petitions have flooded the
mail department of the Executive Mansion
and as President Mckinley has absolutely
nothing to do with the action of the At
torney General. and no authority to re-
verse his decision. both the presence of
the reformers and the vast amount of mail
received daily concerning the decision is
beginning to become burdensome.
Strenuous efforts will be taken by tie
President to discourage the idea that he
has any voice in the matter of the laws
made by Congress, and protests against the
decision of the Attorney General will not
be received by him.
This information has not satisfied the
abstinence people, however. and they still
affirm that they will fight the issue to a
finish.
President Mckinley took his first de-
cisive action yesterday when he directed
his secretary. John Addison Porter, to send
the following letter to Mrs. Emma F. Shell
ton, of the District W. C. 7. T., in response
to a request for an audience for the pur-
pose of presenting the formal protest OF
the organization:
In reply TO your note OF this date | beg leave
to state that the Presidents engagements are
such as to render it impossible to arrange for an
audience this week for some time to come
II you viii be good enough to submit in writ
ing what it is desired to present. will take
pleasure in bringing it promptly to the Pres-
dents attention.
The practical turn-down of the District
Union has excited a greater wrath in the
hearts of the members. and. according to
their belief, the President is making mis-
take in daring to fight such powerful or
panizafion