The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-07-12
The army CANTEEN.

A Delegation of Temperance AdVo-
Gates Present a Dissenting Opinion
TO the Decision OF the Attorney
General.
WASHINGTON. July 1l.-A delega-
tIon composed of Joshua L. Bailey, Of
Philadelphia, president Of the National
Temperance Society; Hiram Price OF
washington; Revs. L. r.. FOOte. Of
Brooklyn; DR.. James E. Dunn and G.
r. Blackall, Of Philadelphia; Joshua
LeverIng, of Baltimore; William W.
Smith. Of PoughkeepsIe, N. Y; H. 7.
Ames, OF wilIlamsport, Pa; Col. Ell
Ritter, Of indianapolis. representing the
National Temperance Society and other
Kindred organizations, called upon the
President this afternoon to ask his conr
slderatiOn Of some points which u was
desired 10 present In reference 70 the
Interpretation given by the attorney
general to the seventeenth section OF
OF the recent act Of Congress. entitled
IAN act for the Increase OF the efficiency
OF the army OF the United States, and
for other purposes"
The delegation wished to record its
dissent from the opinion OF the attorney
general in interpreting the act referred
to- and presented legal opinion on the
subject prepared by Col Ell Ritter OF
indianapolis.
Mr.. Bailey also presented a paper
signed by many well known represents
tives OF the National Temperance so-
clety, which embodied the views OF the
delegation, and embraced the points on
which they dlssented from the tnterpre-
tatiOn given the act by the attorney
general. It contends that Congress
sought to accomplish the total abolition
OF the sale Of intoxicating liquor In the
army. The Interpretation Of the attor-
ney general (Which was to the effect
that the act was prohlbitlve only as to
the sale Of LIQUOR in the canteens by Off
GERS and men. the paper declares was
q matter OF amusement to the people OF
the whole country interested in the sub
ject, and no class Of persons, It Is as.
serted, were more surprised than the
members of Congress present during the
enactment Of the legislation. The DEL
egatlon represented that II the statute
is what its author and the vast number
Of others interested as well as opposed,
thought It was. the Interpretation given
by the attorney general Is perverslon
Oh law. reference ID maze 10 INe TeCeHL
inquiries conducted by the war depart.
ment concerning the sale Of intoxicating
liquors In the army exchange or cam
teen. and the responses received, the
paper says, only aggravated the public
feeling because army officers OF the
highest rank. OF the largest experience.
and the greatest prominence, as well as
those OF the lower rank, have heretofore
when perfectly free given the strongest
expression to exactly the reverse view
Of this business. The paper declares
that the agitation upon this subject Will
not subsldc, and the President Is asked
to give re-hearing upon the conBtruc-
ticn and Interpretation Of the law.
The members OF the delegation, after
their call, reported the President assay
ing that the opinion OF the attorney gem
erai was given without any previous
knowledge on his part-that he did not
know that an opinion had been asked
for by the secretnry Of war-neither did
he know that such an opinion had been
given until several days afterward, and
that he would look into the matter per-
sonatty, and II the opinion OF the attor-
ney. general was found to be correct II
should stand. but. he added, that NIL
men are fallIble, and that II the attorney
general had made a mistake he had no
doubt he (GrlgEsl would be readyd to
rectify it-tliat he was Hn able lawyer
and a man honest and courageous.