The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-06-23
THE ADMINISTRATION
Is Preparing Testimony To Show
That The Army "Canteen" or
Saloon Is . Good Thing.

the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune
gives the following as to the course
the War Department is taking to sus-
tain the army saloon and annul an act
of Congress: Under date of washing
ton, June 49," it says:
SIN response to the request of the
Secretary of War between five and six
reports setting forth
the conclusions de- ARMY
rived from their ex- cANrrrN
perience and obser-
vation of the army lNDORSED
canteen. All save
half dozen of these officers assert that
lthescanteen has been productive of inn
proved morals in the ranks of the regu-
| lar army, and all save the half dozen
are heartily in favor of q continuance
of the system. This is q most con-
elusive answer to the arguments Of the
opponents of the army canteen.
Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn is pre-
pairing excerpts from these lengthy re-
perts, and in q day or two will get
them out for publication.
SIT is one of the anomalies not infre-
quently found in so-called "reform"
work that in the army canteen con-
trOversy the ultra temperance people,
Including the w. c. T. u, are allied
with saloon keepers in favor of the
labolition Of the army canteen, while
the army officers, whose experience
lentitles them to the possession of ex-
pert knowledge of the real facts re.
specting the influence Of the canteen
are practical unit in favor of the
retention Of the system.
1.-THE War Department has beer
lgathering these reports from army
officers simply to show how the canteer
!. is regarded by those who have OppOr
tunity to form correct judgment OF its
:, operation. Under q ruling OF the
Attorney General, the canteen was no
abolished by clause in the army bill
passed late in the session OF Congress
1t is Just possible, however, that th'
/ same question may come up at the mex
session, In which case the reports
, the army officers gathered by the-de
, department will prove valuable"
II 1t is new thing in this Governmen
for the Attorney General to annul
law of Congress, and for the War De
t partment to seek to justify such a higl
handed proceeding by calling on arm
. officers to testify that they know bette
3 than Congress, what laws ought to b
passed.
There are number of statements ii
8 this dispatch that will bear attention
1t is very probable that these arm
v officers who have testified so freely t
. the moral influence of the army salOo
a are mostly hangers on about Washing
= ton, who will sign anything that
wanted of them, to get in the line
promotion. It is certain that thei
number does not include the over SO
officers who are in the fighting line i
: the Philippines.
It is q fact that liquor has bee
abolished from the navy, because tn
officers of the navy recognize its d.
moralizing influence.
1t is not true, that the liquor interes
topposes the army canteen. The autho
of this dispatch cannot point to singl
liquor interest that worked for tn
abolition of the canteen. That wor
was all done by the Temperance people
On the contrary, the liquor interest
:. all worked to prevent the abolition {
: the canteen when the volunteer reg
ments were voting on the question.
The ruling of the Attorney Genera
was an outrage, and this attempt t
= bolster up his opinion is nothing bu
an effort of the Executive Departmer
to annull law that was enacted b
the Legislative Department Of tn
:. Government, and aside from tn
= Temperance feature Of the question,
. is one, of the gravest importance-sul
Istituting as it does, one mans dictul
for law passed by the highest legis
lative body of the country.