Washington sentinel., 1900-12-15

vote for the amendment with the hops
that good shall come OF Ii.
Hear this. and then say whether
an appreciation OF favors received
had any connection with the pass
age OF this measured Oh, mol hu-
manitarian considerations, not pol.
itics, influenced Mr.. Grosvenor.
Nitl
Mr.. Slayden (Dem), Of Texas,
eloquently favored the canteen
for the following reasons:
Mr.. Chairman, in May of last year I,
together with the gentleman from New
Jersey Mr.. Parkerl, signed a minority
report upon the canteen question, That
report opened with these words: The
passage ol this hall we think would be a
calamity to the cause Of temperance >
had arrived at that opinion after care.
full examination of the question and
after a personal inv estiRation at
various military posGs throughout the
country. say had arrived at the
opinion expressed in the opening para
graph Of this report after mature delib-
Grafton and to the extent OF my oppor-
tunitles after examining the operation
at the posts in this country. believed
then, and l believe now, that the abolI.
ton OF the post exchange would be a
calamity. believed then, upon the
evidence submitted by hundreds of
officers OF this United States army, that
it would be detrimental to the good
order and discipline Of the army # the
post exchange were abolished.
am absolutely convinced, Mr.. Chair
man, that If the members OF this House
wo uld read the report, submitted by
the Secretary OF War lart year, of the
testimony OF the officers of the various
branches of the military service they
would also come to that view, But, Mr..
Chairman, they utterly disregard testI-
mony submitted on this question which
in my humble judgment, should con-
vince any jury after a care full examina.
tion.
Furthermore, Mr.. Chairman, there
are gentlemen in this house who will
not vote their convictions upon this
question. II is the WOman's Christian
Temperance Union which doth make
towards OF US alp on this occasion. II
all the gentlemen in this Fl ouse who
have reId this testimony, and who
believe that the post exchange contrib
utes not merely to the comfort and the
discipline and good order oil the army
but to its temperance, will vote against
the amendment offered by the gentle
man from Maine, it will 20 down 10
overwhelming defeat.
Mr.. Chairman. if reputable gentlemen
can be believed, and il reason and not
hysteria is to control in legislation, this
amendment Will be voted down. All
OF the evidence submitted, or practically
all OF it, goes TO confirm the statement
made by its advocates that the post
exchange Is an agency for Temperance.
Out OF thousand replies Teceiyed-by
the War Department from both com.
missioned and noncommissioned officers
the overwhelming preponderance Of
testimony was to that effect
Now. unless you intend to made pris.
ouers Of your soldiers, unless you intend
to keep them under constant surveil.
lance from the time OF their enlistment
to the time Of their discharge, YOU can
not prevent them from drinking. The
practical question, then, il whether YOU
will give them a harmless beverage At
a reasonable cost, which will satisfy
their longings for something more than
the mere ratious given by Government,
or whether you will drive them TO the
outskirts OF the military posts, where
they will, according to the testimony OF
many chaplains. tail not only into the
habit Of drinking ardent spirits, but into
other habits OF more immoral nature;
for. as these clergymen say, upon the
confines Of the posts, Just beyond the
limits OF the military jurisdiction, you
will find hagrant immortality allied with
the opportunity to obtain intoxicating
drink. And they say that there is not
the same temp tatiOn to the soldiers
where they are permitted the priyile yea
OF the post exchange a. conducted 10
this country.
Mr.. Hay, OF VIRGINIA, was the