New-York tribune., 1900-12-12
THE ARMY CANTEEN.
AN ATTEMPT TO REASON WITH CON-
scIENTIoUs CRITIC OF THE ADMIN
rSTRATIoN AND THE TRIBUNE.
~. ra.tnr II The rribune.

TO TIE Editor Of The Tribune
Sir; A friend OF mine-an intelligent consei-
entious man and college professor. whose views
have earnestly combated regarding the Army
canteen the Presidents responsibility. etc, and 70
whom ] sent extract from The Tribune. pub
lshed a few DAYS ago. entitled Personal Habits
Of the Presi6ent"-has written me the following
reply:
thing viz, that the Republican press keeps its
readers IN giful IGNORANCE Of the truth truth REGARDING
formed my opinions by any means. yet Il has In
ghe track OF facts 10 be cleaned from Republican
papers; and; after well assuring myself from dis dis
ei1sions. President Mckinley is / believe little
Hayes; nevertheless. it is, in my judgment mani
fest that he has done more 10 demoTalize temper
tlces and Iequirenients into disrepute than any
other Presieent his Republie has ever had; 10 20
OF the head OF the Whiskey Trust and OF the bass
i@portsnce as did Mr Mc2iaiey on oocSsion Of his
StSneSnoe upon me great Dewey eeie6I%on S m nav nv
search has disclosed has personally invited brew
Adolph Busch Of St. Louis. who. having gone 10
washington Democrat, returned an ardent Re Re;
himself by memoershiP ~ church whose qlsEi- hSE,
therefrom and then violated his pledge. Perhaps
II was a foolish requirement OF the eiselpllne- he
p1unees blessing upon ne man who sSeare5n Is 70
oent has hed the boeT mug to the ips Of So many
thousands OF hitherto temperate soldier boys ano
And this brings us 10 the canteen. Let me just
call your attention 20 the disingcnuOus way in
which these charges are met. The Tribune says;
provision ins5itutsd by law OF Congress True to
tho lctter-and yet without the slightest bearing
upon this Congress never established the
eanteen nor passed any act authorizing il. There
are but two acts Of Congress that mention IL AT
all One OF 1920 forbids the sale Of liquor al army
posts OF on Government reservations in Prohibition
States. This is openly violated and has been for
years. The other is the act Of March, 1899 for
bidding officer private soldier 10 sell allow
be sold any fEtoNicants a. army post exchanges
or military premises. This, TOO. has been NULL
red by administrative officers. President Hayes
issued an order 10 stop the sale OF drink in the
Army. Secretary Long IN February. 1929 issued an
order 10 stop the sale OF drink 10 enlisted men in
The Navy. The President, who is constitutonally
IOmman cer-n-CheI, not only can exercise, but has
exercised. such power. Mr. Mckinley dsregarded
all petitions on the plea that he would wait for
Congress Conercss acted, and he, who is sworn
cc. Instead acQuiesce IN the ridiculous travesty of
a legal opinion that completely nulhed the act. So
grcat 1urlst as Noah Davis. for thirty years on
the bench Of the Supreme Court Of the State of
tng the chief point made by AIR. Grggs in his Opin
ion; Il know Of no such rule OF Interpretation in
old Of crime. Moreover the opinion OF the Attor-
neyGeneIal Is only advisory, and does not transfer
the responsibility from the President 10 himself.
Now, am not saying that Mr. Mckinley is a had
man. but insist that such serious violations Of
justification, on the ground OF general good char
octer. u is not President Mckinley: IL is the
Christian citizens Of America, who by supporting
his policy stand ultimately responsible for the
Manla-nOt 10 speak Of other places: yet have
they done n ignorantly for just by this Tribune
Clipping, they have been systematically deceived.
This Indictment il seems 10 me. demands consd-
GRAFTON and answer. ".
New-York Nov ls 1900