Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-05-16
FAVORS THE CANTEEN
ARMY CHAPLAIN SAYS 1T lM-
PROVES SOBRIETY.
American Saloon Has Superseded the
Native Philippine Gin Mill Where
Poisonous Liquor Was Sold = Com
demns Democratic Criticism.

Chaplain Charles C. Pierce, of the
United States army, who has been on
the firing line with our troops in lie
Philippines since February 4, 500,
was commanded 10 report to tile sdju-
tant general upon the physical and
moral welfare of the American soldiers
theirs. His report reads as follows:
I sm compelled by you to write with
QUE Fear or favor" ] have no favor 10
ass, General. because, although ! have
been in Manila for eighteen months, my
work is there and desire to return TO it.
As to fear, have never known sEch a
feeling in the army. My treatment has
always been courteous, and have always
been permitted to say freely and frank
j.. all that / thought necessary, in the
mutters involving my legitimate sphere OF
work.
AS to matters of moral import | have
bsen panied to note in many alleged inter
yisws in newspapers disposition to give
to the facts but partial publication.
have read the statement that bnt two
saloons existed in Manila, at the time Of
its occupation by 'ha Americans. AS
fltsG saw that cit. only eight days later,
Kan say that this figure is too small;
anl although ii is a fact that more public
saloons exist to-day, it is also true that
there are not so many of them as TO in
vo.ye u net increase in the number of
places in Manila where liquor may be
procured. but, on the contrary, dirInu-
ton. The truth is land | have not yet
seen statement of this fact in any
newspaper purporting to give an inter
Wow with ,-ha hnx cd
from therel, that the American saloon has
superseded something else. What it has
superseded is a most important question
in this interesting controversy.
When | first saw Manila the streets
We're practically lined with little nipa
huts. perhaps about twelve feet square,
in which the natives were selling, at a
merely nominal price, not only fruit and
tobacco, but also native gin These gin
shaeks" should certainly be included in
the number of drinking places existing
at the beginning, and their number was
very large. The character of this native
drink was so fiery and villainous that its
effect uFon such of our men as used ii
was depiorable. 1t became my duty to
bury two soldiers who never recovered
from the "uect of drinking it, One of
them had been in the service about eigh-
teen years, and received from his officers,
In personal conversation with me, com
mendati9n so fiattering with rega to
his character for sobriety and sCidierly
honor tEat it might be coveted by any
man. lie had never been a drunkard,
but this native poison was so viruient
in its effect that he became maddened,
and fingered in his delirium whole week,
never having recovered his reason at the
time of his death. Our authorities set
to work 20 restrict this traffic, by sys-
TEN which finally resulted in its prohi
bition
| am rot personally an advocate of any
saloon. but | am forced to give my testi-
mony that the substitution of regimental
cantesns, in which only beer was sold,
III pitce of this traffic in native gin, re-
suited in a most immediate and percepti-
Bile improvement in the sohriety of the
troops. | should welcome the day when
all E1en, out of the army as well as in
1t, might find it agreeable by their alb
stsnence, TO crush out the market for all
m alt or spirituous products. That milien-
ma; age, however, has not dawned and
my opinion is that it is better to accept
stlch forms of restriction as are feasible
tEan 10 insist upon a theory which, how
L.
l bear my cheerful testimony TO the
earnest effort of the commanding general.
supplemented by the vigilance of the two
ipcumbents of the provost marshal gen
erals office. to crush out the more danger
GUS forms of this traffic. and to impose
such restrictive regulations as will reduce
the whole business to minimum The
whole history of our occupation of Manila
has been one of development and pro-
gress, along physical. intellectual and
moral lines. and | believe that no man
could refuse to admit it had he been per-
mitted to see the progress of this work
and TO be admitted, TO some slight extent,
into the confidence of those who are
charged with it. ! AIN quite sure that the
desire of the authorities would involve
Che further elimination of these saloons.
by some gradual process, which will lead
up to the very limit of feasibility.
The critics of those who have this
work in charge may have a share in the
iInprov. ment of our men. which is more
practical than mere criticism. In the first
place they should see to it that some pro
vision is made, through Congress. FOR fur
nishing chaplain for each regiment sta
toned there, 50 that religious and moral
instruction may persiStently be given to
all our troops. In the second place their
contributions ought to be given to those
who have in mind the establishment If
reading rooms and club houses for sol
diers, that men may find some other
place. furnished by Christian people.
which is as bright and as attractive to
them i'll their leisure hours as the saloon
itself.
These measures will doubtless serve to
lessen very greatly the attendance at sa-
looms, and conceive it to be the duty of
the American people in behalf of the
men whom they have sent forth. to hold
their territory and TO fight their battles
tas brave and noble and true body of
men as ever stood in the defense of any
nation) to make sacrifices. : need be, 10
insure the establishment of such agencies
as may. along the line of moral suasion
and religious influence. eounteract more
baneful agencies, and supplant lower in
stinets with lOftier ideals.
Lesson of Indiana Elections.
The local elections held ia Indiana
are of unusual interest. The attempt
has been made 10 show that the Repub
ilcan party would suffer at the polls
because of the legislation enacted for
the benefit Of Porto Rice. In all of the
protests which We're made by those
who did not understand the situation.
those made in Indiana were most VIC