The times., 1899-07-12
AGAINST THE CANTEEN
Temperance Workers Want Mr..
Griggs' Opinion Set Aside.
The President Visited by Formi-
dsble Delegation Colonel Ritter,
of Indianapolis. Presents the Plea
for Abolition - The Late Act of
Congress Cited-Their Arguments.


A delegation representing the National
Temperance Society and other kindred or
CARNATIONS called upon the President at
the White House yesterday afternoon and
asked that the Interpretation which had
been given by Attorney General Griggs
to the seventeenth section of the present
act of Congress, which prohibited the sale
of liquor in the Army. be reeonsidered
and that hearing be given them for the
presentation of legal argument pre-
senting the views of the temperance men.
The members Of the delegation were as
follows: Joshua L. Baily, Philadelphia;
Hiram Price. Washington; Rev. L. r.
Foote. D. D., Brooklyn; Joshua Levering,
Baltimore; William W. Smith. Pough-
keepsie, n. Y; II. T. Ames, Williamsport,
Pa; Col. Eli Ritter, Indianapolis; Rev.
James B. Dunn ID. D., and Rev. C. r.
Blackall, D. D.. of Philadelphia.
The delegation was introduced to the
President by Joshua L. Baily, President of
the National Temperance Society, who
stated that the members desired to ask
consideration of some points which they
wished TO present in reference TO the in
depreciation given to the seventeenth Sec
tion of the recent act of Congress- entitled:
AN act for the increase of efficiency
of the Army of the United States and for
other purposes.
The President JeDquired whether the del
egation dissented from the opinion of the
Attorney General in interpreting the act
referred TO, and whether legal advice had
been taken by them on the same. Mr..
Baily stated that they did dissent, and that
| legal opinion had been prepared By Col.
Eli Ritter. of Indianapolis The follow
ing paper in part was then presented by
the latter, setting forth the points in
which the delegation dissented from the
| Interpretation given section II by the At
torney General:
The measure passed each body of Con-
gress under these conditions by practically
| a unanimous vote The press spread the
news throughout the entire land hat the
sale of liquor had been forbidden in the
Army. The leading and many OF thu less
prominent newspapers in the land, secular
and religious, announced the passage of
the. act, and that it forbade the sale of
liquor in the Army. The religious press Of
the country, without any exception, so far
as We know. proclaimed the accomplish
ment with approval, and Largely the sec
ular press gave to the same its approval
The newspapers of the country which
claim to speak as the organs of the per-
sons engaged in the sale of intoxicating
liquors announced the action OF Congress
and denounced it because it had abolished,
or sought to abolish, such sales of intoxi-
eating liquors. This, undoubtedly, was
the condition OF affairs when, on the 18th
day OF April, 1899 the Secretary of War,
in general orders No. 50, published the in
depreciation given by the Attorney Gen.
eral of the United States to section II of
said act, which is the section concerning
the sale of intoxicating liquors in post ex
changes or canteens, etc, in the Army.
This Interpretation was a matter Of
amazement TO the people of the whole
country who were at all interested or had
! paid any attention TO the history and
progress of the subject in public discus
sion and in Congress and to the statute,
and we risk the statement that no class
of persons were more astonished than the
legal profession. The people whose num-
/ bers were so large and their influence was
so great that Congress responded TO their
demands and passed an act were panied TO
! the heart, disappointed beyond measure,
and indignant beyond expression at this in
terpretation because they did not believe
and cannot now believe that the interpre-
tation was just or correct. They were in
dignant because they believed that the in
an utter perversion of the true intent AMI
purpose of that act. Their Indignation was
heightened, also, by the fact that the Sec
retary of War Immediately issued said Or
der, No. 60, TO the Army in execution OF
said statute according TO said interpreta-
| tion, and not, as we verify believe, in ac-
cordance with the true intent and pur-
pose Of said act.
IF the statute is in fact what its author,
who composed it and presented ii TO Con-
g-ess, thought it 9es; what the members
of Congress, both Those who favored and
those who opposed, thought it was when
it was passed; if ii is what the vast num-
ber of people who pstitioned for and urged
such action thought it was If it is what
the press, religious and secular, of the
whole land, thought ii was; if it is what
opponents of the measure thought it was;
if it is what the most intelligent people
of the land who read it say it is if it is
/ what it clearly seems to be when read in
the light of well settled rules OF law and
rules governing the composition and con-
| struction Of the English language, then
/ the Interpretation given TO it by the At
torney General is peryersion Of the law
We appeal to you, Mr.. President. that
I you will cause a rehearing upon the con-
struction and Interpretation Of section Il,
/ hereinbefore referred to, and full discus
/ ject, so that the conclusion thereby reached
may stand and the law be executed in ac-
cordance Herewith. In the event that
such reconsideration cannot be secured,
that you will personally hear and consider
the matter OF Interpretation of said stat
ute and see to it that the law shall be exc
euted in accordance with the true intent
and purpose of said act Of Congress"
The petition was signed by the follow
| ing besides the members OF the above
named delegation: Rev. d. J. Burrell, New
York; Rev. DR.. r. s. Macarthur New
York; Hon. James Talcott. New York:
/ Hon. Henry B. Metcalf. Rhode Island Rev.
William T. Sabine, New York; Rev A. G.
Lawson. New Jersey; Rev. J. J. Beacon,
Pittsburg; Rev. l.. Y. Graham, Philadel-
phia Rev Herrick Johnson, Chicago;
Bishop Willard F. Malialieu, Massachu-
sets
Several members of the delegation spoke
in favor of the abolition of the canteen
system and asked that immediate action
be given the matter.
The members Of the delegation stated
last night that the President said that
the opinion OF the Attorney Gsnsral had
been given without any previous knowl-
edge on his part and had promised that
he would look into the matter personally
The delegation also claims that the Presi-
dent had further stated that all men were
fallible and that the Attorney General was