The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1900-09-03
DEFENDS ARMY CANIE[N.
Adjt. Gen. Corbin Declares That
Its Use Has Promoted Total Alb
stinence In the Army.
PRESENTS INTERESTING STATISTICS.
He Says That Each Onicer And Private In
1899 Expended on Accoun; OF Beer
Oaiy 20 Censs month-Deeiares tho
Army 20 BE the Most Abstsmineus BODY
In Our Country.

Washington, Sept. 2.-Adjt. Gen.
Corbin has written letter 10 Senator
Sewell, Of New Jersey, a member Of
the military committee of the senate,
setting forth in definite terms the
attitude of the war department on
the question of the army canteen.
The letter. which was made public to-
day, is as follows:
Replying to your several Inquiries con
cerning the post exchange. or army
canteen," have the honor to inform you
1. That the sale OF all splritnous liquors
by the canteen Is and always has been
absolutely prohibited.
2 Only beer and light wines are sold
10 either officers or men. and these only
when the commanding officer is salts
ned that giving to the troops the oppor-
tunity Of obtaining such beverage with
IN the post limits will prevent them from
resorting for strong intoxicants 10 places
without such limits, and tends 10 pro
mote temperance and discipline among
them.
g. The canteen was established and has
been maintained in the interests Of tenn
perance and betterment OF discipline with
most satisfactory results. This Is shown
In fewer trials by court-martial. in the
decreased number or deSertionr and IN
the improved health OF the men.
& The exchange Is cooperative store.
, where supplies are sold at cost. OF a.
nearly so as possible. for the benefit OF
officers and men OF the army. The can
teen r. a department Of the exchange.
constituting an enlisted mems ciuo.
Rooms IN or near the soldiers quarters
are set apart for this special purpose.
furnished with reading matter. billiard
tables and other games. but where every
form OF gambling IL absolutely forbid.
den. n Is where the men write their let
ters home and read the newspapers and
magazines.
The government has no financial inter .
est whatever IN either the exchange or
canteen. the funds being supplied by the
soldiers themselves. Almost every COM
pany commander has reported Ia favor
Of the exchange and cantecn as an effect
I'VE temperance measure. One thousand
AMI nineteen commissioned officers have
made special reports TO this effect. II
may be proper for me to say that. In
the beginning. I opposed the canteen.
but was brought to It's support by the
overwhelming evidence OF its benehcent
result on the morals, health and con
fen,ment OF the service
II has been stated In the public press
that ''the receipts OF the exchange are
nearly all Tor drink. To meet tnit
etatement have 20 inform you that the
offclai reports OF the department show
that the receipts from the sales Of beer
and light wines are and have been less
than one-third OF the gross receipts. be
ing IN 1893 flve-seventeentha and IN 1859
ftx-seventeenths. Taking the amount o.
The gross receipts on account OF the sale
81 beer and dividing Il by the total num-
Der cf oficers and men show that each
oficer and enlisted man for the year 1895
expended on account OF beer only y
cents a nsonth-equivalent to four glasses
81 beer per month. or less than one kiass
week apiece for each officer and maA
IN tho military service In isea tho ex
penditure on the part Of each officer and
man reached an average Of IS cents per
month, or but 10 cents a day. These fact.
make Il clear that, IN comparison with ali
other citizens. the army OF to-day is
the most abstemlnous body In our coun.
try. There Is no community OF which
! we have any report or knowledge that
win show so small consumption OF
drink per capita. This average should.
In fact, appear much lower. for the res
son that citizen employees. Of which We
have taken no account. have the privilege
OF purchase from the canteen. The num
ber of clerks. mechanics and teamsters
employed with an army in the field IA. as
YOU know. very large. This number
is not obthinabie. but you will
t~ouid very materially reduce the
49, l. Of % cents and IS cents a month