New-York tribune., 1900-03-04
S2NS.966

These figures throw a curious light on the as
sertion OF one prohibitonist editor that a single
Kentucky distillery shipped five thousand bar
rels OF whskey To the Philippines last November,
IL statement which has furnished the text for
several heated sermons on the drunkenness OF
American soldiers in the Philippines But the
statistics OF temperance people frequently
characterized by intemperance For instance.
not long ago a Michigan clergyman declared
that Several million dollars worth of American
whskey" was shipped to the Congo Valley last
December the fact being that the total exporta-
tlon of whiskey in December 1851 gal
Ions, valued at S22.TI5. and that not a single
barrel was consigned 10 the Congo Valley
But further light on the question comes from
another source. The Rev. DR.. Charles Caleb
Pierce (Episcopalian). an Army chaplain in the
Philippines who is making a short visit In this
country, says that there has been no more
drunkenness among the soldiers In the Philip
pines than among soldiers at home, and there is
much less now than there at first Prohi-
bition, he declares would make matters worse,
and not better. II the sale of American liquors
was prohibited in the Philippines the soldiers
would drink the native gin, one of the most
deadly and maddening OF oil intoxicants when
1 first went to Manila DR.. Pierce declares,
the streets were lined from end 10 end with
native shacks at which this poisonous COM
pound was peddled at the rate OF one cent a
glass The natives take one drink and stop.
They know they have enough but our soldiers
Ignorant of its character, and because of its
low price, would take four or I've drinks, which
"set them crazy. They were not used 10 it.
"They drank IT they would drink beer or
American wines. This caused an appalling
amount of drunkenness. But II did not con-
'tinue long. The native drinking places were
abolished and the sale of that vile stuff was
forbidden. Then discharged soldiers began to
open saloons and sell American beer wines.
"whskey, etc. which the soldiers drank mod
"erately and with the same results as in the
United States. The establishment of these
saloons Is accepted by persons who are not
familiar with the facts as evidence that drunk
"enness has increased, but they do not know. or
neglect to explain, that half a dozen drinking
places have been abolished for every one that
has been opened, and to-day II the American
saloons were abolished the soldiers would re-
turn to the vile native gin which the Chinese
"who are very shrewd, would find means to
furnish them somehow or another"
Dr. Pierces testimony is supported by that OF
Colonel Clarence Edwards lately General Law
tons chief of staff, and fair minded people gem
orally Will accept 1t as conclusive But doubt
less some prohibitonist organs will meet II nv
calling DR.. Pierce and Colonel Edwards "ruu,
mics" method of argument that has been fire.
quently used by certain prohibitionists. As for
the use that Senator Pettigrew will make Of tho
facts when he gets them, nobody seems TO know
But he may possibly put few of them into one
of his speeches, and thus treat the country TO n
genuine surprise