Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-12-01

CANTEEN AND ANTI-cANTEEN.
Bill AboIishing the Curse of the
Army has Passed the House
but is held up in the
Senate.
On the opening day of this session of
Congress Secretary Roots bill was in
troduced in the House and at once re-
ferred to the committee on military
affairs. The committee reported the
bill with an amendment prohibiting
the sale of liquor by soldiers, but not
by others, in any post, on military
property, transports, etc. Mr.. Little
field, of Maine, offered substitute
for this section, entirely prohibiting
the sale of intoxicants at military
posts. A long and earnest discussion
followed, the substitute being support
ed by Messrs. Littlefeld, Grosvenor
(Rep., Ohio, Dick (Rep., Ohio) and
Hay (Dem., Va.), and opposed by
Messrs. Slayton (Dem., Pa.), Fitzger-
aid (Dem., Mass.), Pearce (Rep., MOI,
Parker (Rep., N. j. and Bartholdt
(Rep., Mo-
Mr.. Fitzgerald (Mass.) said sit is i'm
possible to enforce prohibition In any por-
ton of this country or of the world. We
cannot enlist 65 900 men for service in the
Philippines or anywhere else who can be
made total abstainers.'' He concluded
with an attack upon prohibition as it OBJ
tains in Maine.
Mr.. Grosvenor (Ohio) declared that pro-
hibition had been a failure wherever it
had been tried. Nevertheless he said he
would vote for the amendment If good
came Of 1t he would thank God; If not, as
ne believed It would not, no harm would.
be done and Congress could easily retrace
its steps.
Mr. Hay ya.) believed it, was wrong
for the government to engage in the sale
Of liquor. He was opposed to throwing
temptation in the direct path of young
men who entered the army.
Mr.. Littlefield closed the debate upon the
amendment and defended prohibition in
Maine, which he insisted promotes morality
and temperance. The vote upon the
amendment was 159 ayes to 81 nays, taken
by a rising vote. No. record vote under
the rules could be secured. The result was
received with applause among members
and spectators. A considerable number of
delegates and visitors to the National w.
c. T. u. convention listened to the de-
bate from the galleries and applauded the
result vociferously.
The bill Is now before the Senate and
there Is serious fear that the anti-canteen
portion will be eliminated. Arch bishop
Ireland and Bishop McGolrick hare ap-
peared before the Senate committee on
military affairs on behalf Of the canteen.
Nebraska minister, to test the effect
Of prosperous times upon his congregation
asked, Cali in the house who pay. their
debts, stand up, Instantly every man,
woman and child, with one exception, rose
to their feet. He seated the crowd and
said, "Let every man VINO Is NOT paying
his debts, stand up The exception noted
Ia careworn, hungry Individual, clothed In
his last summers suit, slowly assumed q
perpendicular position, and leaned upon the
back of the seat in front Of him. "HOw
il 1t, my friend" inquired the, minister,
that you are the only one In this cOngre-
CATION who Is unable to meet his obliga-
~ replied, "and my brethren here who just
stood up are my subscribers, and"
LET us prayl' exclaimed the minister.
The Washington Sentinel leading liquor
paper, says: with the increase that will
most assuredly come to the cause of Pro.
hibitiOn In the next four years-an increase
that will give them following of $500, 900
Judging from the experience of the past
f0ur-the prospect of having to oppose
q candidate on platform pledged to ma
flouoI r1rnhihfti0n 10 nof n distant ono