The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-28
SOMETHING ABOUT cANrEENs.

A correspondent who seems to have
an erroneous idea Of the army can
teen. wants to know why The Herald
defends the presidents attitude OF
friendliness to this agency of intem-
perance, and whv nearly every army
officer consulted reported in favor
Of canteens in thu my.
The Herald does not pretend to know
the presidents attitude on the canteen
question He has been severely criti-
cised, and we believe unjustly. by
temperance leaders for allowing the
anti-canteen law to be set aside. But
his legal advisers reported upon it
adversely and army officers in general
recommended the retention of this
military adjunct.
The canteen in controversy, be it
understood, is not the eanyas-covered
tin bottle in which soldiers carry milk
or coffee, but a sors of club room and
drinking place for the enlisted men of
the army. It was IN the face Of strong
opposition that the canteen was estab-
Iished. PrOhibitionists have fought it
from the first. It is no part of the duty
of the United States government to
engage in the sale of beer and tobacco,
they say. and truthfully, too
But many a parent has had to pro-
vide amusements for his sons at home
to prevent them seeking worse
ones elsewhere. And it is a part of
the duty of the government to main
tain its army in a state of efficiency,
and no army is or can be made eff
cient that is treated like a kindergar-
ten class. that is disaffected and re-
bellious in consequence. the soldier kept
on short commons and deprived of ev-
cry personal privilege as if he were the
prisoner instead Of the policeman.
The canteen is a room somewhere in
or about the barracks where the sol
der when off duty may enjoy himself
in the same manner as other people
have the right and the opportunity
to do. It is a reading ROOM a place
where he may lounge and talk with
his comrades, smoke, play cards,
checkers and pins. and there is a
counter where he can buy trinkets at
cost, and small bar where his beer
is served so long as re is in a condi-
ton to take it and pay for it.
The more the soldier frequents the
canteen, according to the experience of
most army officers, the less time he
spends in the saloons outside of the
post. The more he stays about the
premises the more apt he is to remain
sober, for there he is under the eyes
Of his officers and the sight of them
reminds him constantly that he will
be punished il he gets drunk. Besides.
he cannot buy beer at the canteen
after he is intoxicated.
It is believed that the establishment
of canteens and thz extern sion of Iiber-
ties at the various posts has raised the
grade of the army and lessened dis
content among the men. Every i'm
portant military station now has it's
school, reading room, billiard table.
ball club, beer and pipes. Discomfort
vanishes in the presence of these
solaces. It isn't much use to try to
prevent soldiers from drinking beer.
If they do not want it they will not
drink it because there is a canteen at
the post. If they do want it they will
get it, and there is no way to prevent
them from getting it. A few conces-
siOns to human nature do not interfere
with army morals. In fact, they make
discipline easier to enforce during
hours OF labor. It may not be easy to
make anti-canteen crusaders believe
it, but the fact is there and the ex-
perienee of army officers has demon
strated it.