Washington sentinel., 1900-12-15
WASHINGTON CITY, D. c.. SATURDAY, DECEMBER Is 1900

drinks.
Mr.. Little6eld, in introducing
his amendment, invoked favorable
action by the House as much. it
seemed, to give effect to a decree
of former Congress as with de
sire to legislate for the army's
good. Perhaps we are mistaken
in this.
Mr.. Fitzgerald (Dem.), Mass,
opened for the opposition, basing
his plea for the canteen on his OBJ
servation Of its practical and bene-
fetal working compared with pro-
hibition. He said:
Mr.. Chairman, sincerely trust that
the amendment which has Just been
offered by the gentleman from Maine
will not prevail. l think he, as we'll as
every sensible member oil this House,
must realize the fact that the canteen
system as now practiced and carried out
in the army is easily the best method of
handling this great question, and it
seems to me that if we are pot going to
act as hYDocrltes we ought to vote down
the amendment offered by the gentleman
rom Maine, and to vote for the provision
as il exists in the bill now before the
House. 1t is, in my judgment. impos-
slble to enforce prohibition IN any por-
ton Of this county or in any portion Of
the world.
II is impossible to enlist an army Of
$4,000 men, in my judgment, to serve IN
the Philippine Islands or anv other
portion OF the world where their services
may be needed by the United States
Government and attempt to have all
those men total abstainers. In this
condition Of affairs if these men must |
obtain liquor, it seems to me the part of |
prudence and the part OF wisdom on the |
part Of the United States Congress to
provide the means of obtaining that !
liquor that will give the most temperance |
and the best results.
l witnessed a good deal OF the agita-
ton on this question during the past
two years. have heard Of the benefits
Of the present system at the Charleston
Navy Yard, and have heard, within all
hour, Of the great improvement brought
about by the establishment oil the can.
teen system at Togus. Me-, in the
gentleman's own State; and it is only
within the last hour that persons well
a. asnmaintad rnrl5Nt1~- h,k |
existed in that State told me that the
conduct and morals of the soldiers OF
that Home had improved wonderfully
with the system now in vogue.
The gentleman comes from the State
OF Maine, where a prohibition law is in
existence, and has been for the past
twenty years and yet the law has never
been enforced, and is not enforced there
today; there is more liquor sold, and
as openly, as in any community in the
United States, and when il was made an
issue IN the city of Portland the Prohi-
bitioDist candidate was elected because
he promised to enforce the law. Now,
the gentleman knows | am speaking the
truth upon this question. He knows
how the prohibition law has operated in
Maine-that it has not decreased crime
there, but has resulted in bringing
about improper relations between the
officers ot the law and private individuals
engaged in selling liquor. He knows
that corruption has increased in different
portions Of tbe State, and that the people,
in order to be relieved Of this condition
of affairs, in one community elected the
ProhibitiOnist candidate TO Office, some
thing unheard Of in the State of Maine
before,
Now, Mr.. Chairman, it seems to me
that we ought at least TO be honest in
this question. We all have read the
stories that come to us from the Philip
pine Islands about the character OF the
liquor that is served there to the soldiers
and the evil effects that it has upon the
men. say in all fairness that we ought
to consider this question as men inter.
ested IN the soldier, interested in the
best method OF dealing with this ques.
tioni end If we act upon this question
honestly, in accordance with the reports
that have been submitted upon this very
question, after an experience Of twenty.
five years, by the majority of the Off -eis
in the United States Government, men
who have dealt with this question from
a practical standpoint, then we must
vote for the bill as it is reported by the
committee and vote down the amend.
ment offered by the gentleman from
Maine,
am not a drinking man myself. and
think II the soldiers refrained from
drinking liquor they would be better off.
can not, however, be blind to the
conditions that surround us on this
question. and l therefore hope the
will be voted kown.
Mr.. Grosvenor (Rep0, Of Ohio,
then took the floor. He favored
the passage OF the bill not because,
as he said, he had any faith in its
effica " to suppress in'emperance
he had even "gyaVF app,sheHsion
that Tire adoption Of Ills a,asnameat
lVtH ao harm and net g00G"-he be-
lieved that "the experiments here
toIore made in total prohibition in
this country have been substan
tial il not absolute failures, and
have resulted in the increase OF the
sale Of bad liquors, violations oil
law, and degradation OF the law by