The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-03-14

Inc canteen system. can scarcely con-
ceive of greater disgrace or dishonor
than for our government to be involved
in such business. / know that this ie
defended on the ground that the men
are thus kept from going to the towns
and getting stronger drinks. But the
testimony of those best qualified to
know is that it but creates an appetite
for stronger drinks, and that the regi-
ments that have this system have the
most difficulty to keep their men from
the saloons of the neighboring towns
Many a young man from a Christian
home will be encouraged to drink
because the u 8. furnishes the drink.
Who is responsible for this state of
affairs? The colonel or superior officer
of the regiment can prevent beer and
wines from being sold in the regiment if
he desires. The President of the u S
could stop it if he would. Why does
he not do it then? He is q protesting
Christian, and good man, as 1 firmly
believe as truly raised up of God for
this emergency as was Washington or
Lincoln. Few men could have met all
the difficulties of the past few months ae
successfully as VIM. Mckinley. In spite
of the clamors of the politicians and the
people he has held the reins firmly, and
proved in every case that he was the
right man in the right place. I say thie
the more cheerfully since was not an
enthusiastic admirer of his befo re the
war commenced. Why then does he
not put stop to this crying evil. II be
knew the power of this organized liquor
traffic in this land, of the influence il
has in the halls of Congress and every
where, we would not be surprised at his
slowness in acting in this matter. ]
believe when the President is convinced
that the sentiment of the best people oi
the land will support him in giving the
word of command that will stop thil
whole business, the command will be
given. Public sentiment must be
aroused, the President must know tina,
the will of the people is that the can
teen must 60, and it will 60.
But why agitate this question nov
that the war is over? We expect tha
our regular army will be enlarged Il
100000. These men will be for year
away from home restraints. And if it il
go hard to keep men from drinking with
all these home restraints around then
what must be the result when they ar,
taken away, and these drinks are to b,
found in every regiment, where the mel
get all the provision not supplied by th'
government? 1t is enough to know
that they must meet with these tempta.
tions outside, without having then
continually, and by authority of th,
government. We need to bring all tn
pressure to bear we can upon tht
President that this may not be contin.
ued when our men are stationed il
Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines
as we'll as in various parts of our owl
land. If we knew the pressure brough
to bear by the organized liquor traffic o
our land to keep this iniquitous arrange
ment In continuance. we should see tn
need of bringing all possible influence t
bear to counteract theirs, and to supper
the President in taking such action.
If the adage. Eternal vigilance is th
price of safety, is ever true, it is certain
ly true in our relation to this traffic
But while the Temperance wave rise
and falls like the waves of the sea,
never falls quite as low and ever rises
little higher. There is a time comm
when it will rise high enough, to swee
this internal traffic into the bottomlee
pit, whence it came. OF this 1 am q
certain as God has spoken in his wore
God speed the day. And while tbs
} day is &C ming it is ours to be found i
the thickest of the battle ready to do Q
die. 1t is ours to be found at our pof
} of duty, ready to do anything in ou
power to make the next wave as
comes by US, and it is coming, to ris
, higher than the last one did. Let U
make sure that our skirts are clear of a
} responsibility by word or act, by vo;c
} or vote, for this traffic in the commun
J ity, in the commonwealth, in the natio
or in the world. Let us seek to max
this land az free in fact as it is in nam,
While we are laboring for the freedo,
of the poor Cubans, let us not forget th
, 500 900 or more, slaves in our own lant
! made 30 by authority of our own law
And let us not forget our own bo.
!; fighting for us, but tempted by tt
} authority of our own government, to
, slavery worse than death.
|. Amazing Audacity.