The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-10-08
ARMY POST EXCHANGE
A STATEMENT OF FACTS BY JUDGE
GRUBBs. OF MARTINsyILLE.
Regulations Governing Ii and Testi-
mony of Experienced Officers
Concerning Its Benefits.

tation and real temperance man, mas
printed in the Martinsville Daily Reporter
an exhaustive article relating to the army
canteen, which shows that he has given
the subject careful investigation. After
calling attention TO and quoting some of
the malignant falsehoods of so-called Pro-
hibitionists directed against the President,
he proceeds as follows:
Every old soldier of the civil war has
a vivid recollection of the "sutler' who.
years agone, infested every regiment with
his stock of vile whisky. beer and pretzels.
cigars. tobacco, pipes. ginger snaps and
whatever could tempt the appetite; sold
always at fabulous prices, limited only
by the soldiers ability to pay. What
robber and demoralizer he was! Often
on payday he sat at the table near the
paymaster. and most of the hard earn
ings of many a poor fellow dropped into
his capacious pockets. He stuck for
became such a nuisance that the author
tiles abolished him.
Then came the era of the post trader
attached to each post or regiment, with
fewer privileges and greater restrictions.
but still liquor-selling went on, and finally
an order was issued abolishing the post
trader, and no one within the limits of
any army post or encampment was prlvl-
legged to barter sell to enlisted men.
Then came the era of the low grogshop."
Just outside of every military reservation,
up, as by magic, the lowest grog shops
and vilest dens of shame and vice. The
enticements of these dens were overpower-
ingly strong to those wearied OF the re-
straints of camp life. and there the en-
listed men went, abusing leaves of abb
sence" and breaking guard II necessary
Drinking vile liquor until they were drunk.
amid abandoned company, they forgot their
duty as soldiers, were arrested, laid out
long sentences in the guard house. be-
came brutalized, lost their self-respect,
deserted, were arrested and imprisoned or
became outlaws.
cipline of the regiment were, by universal
consent, never so bad and the demoraliza-
ton OF the private soldier SO universal rs
pitched its tent hard by the quarters Of
every regiment. Whisky peddlers infested
every post and the profits were so great
that they were ready TO take any risk. For
several years the best officers of the army
In every department, those conscienttously
opposed to intoxicants, those proud Of the
honor of their profession AID the army.
sought to solve the problem and save the
men from debauchery and decentralization
and to guard them from such temptations
and camps recreation halls. libraries and
reading rooms, bowling alleys, billiard and
card rooms, and sought to give the men
amusement and recreation within quarters.
Finally in 1882 as the result of the best
judgment of the officers of the army, from
the secretary OF war and lieutenant gen.
ants in the field, the "canteen" or "post
exchange was established and has been,
with some amendments. in operation ever
since.
1t was established to mitigate the evils
above alluded to, as a temperance measure
and In the words OF the army regulations.
Ito promote sobriety health, morality and
discipline I'm the United States army" 1t
was an experiment Many officers were
opposed to 1t at first but after watching
its results they were ready to acknowledge
that 1t was beneficial both to morals,
temperance and discipline. To-day after
eleven years trial, the almost universal
of the officers Of the United States army
those most interested, those best entitled
to KNOWS that the "Canteen" operated
promote temperance. morality. health and
discipline" In the army and among the
soldiers; that 1t has proved beneficent and
that regiment OF our army, in which the
regulations providing for the operation of
the ''Canteen" are observed, Is one Of the
most abstemious bodies Of men in this
country
WHAT IS THE CANTEEN?"
The army regulations of 1889 provide for
1t. President Mckinley had nothing to do
with its creation. have those army regu-
lations before me. 1 can simply summar-
lie the provisions, which are:
Authorized to promote temperance, NOR
atty. health and discipline in the army;
not obligatory At the option of the COM
Of anV sUirituous ionors absoI mens sale
hibited: only beer and light wines can be
kept or sold; sold only in limited quanti-
ties: no treating allowed; closed absolutely
presents check; can't sell to one under in
fluence of liquor; no drinking allowed out.
daily OF Of Ii ae to
officer; no gambling allowed about the
Such. in brief. are the army regulations
touching the ''canteen," the law governing
them and that law rigidly enforced II
will be observed no regiment is bound
to have a canteen. 1t rests with the COM
handing officer. and commanding officers
consult their regiments and act for the
good OF the regiment and. the service .
Colonel Durbin consulted his regiment and
had no canteen. There is absolute prohi-
bition as to the sale of spurious LIQUORS.
whisky, brandy, gin, etc.-in every post
barracks and fort where a detachment
company or regiment Of the United States
there sucn prohibition encamps. The sale
OF beer and light wines is so guarded.
hedged about and limited as to time and
quantity that drunkenness is almost i'm
possible. Gambling, always associated
with drinking, is wholly prohibited. The
habit of treating, so baneful In its results.
Is tsoI prohibited, Put the Army Regula-
Martinsville tomorrow morning and we
would have practically prohibitory city
and entire prohibition as to sale of whisky.
the nine saloons of our city under Can
teen law and regulations and i'm a week
most OF them would quit business Limit
them to the sale of beer and light wines
with no treating, no gambling or music
upon the check system, two drinks a
day. the eye of government official ever
upon them, strict account of each sale
to be kept, and there would soon be a
procession of nine proprietors twenty
seven barkeepers, and divers and snndrv
sweet singers and sweepers on the march
for more pleasant pastures. shaking the
dust of a "Canteen" governed CITY from
their feet. And IL would be for revenue
only and without the consent of the
governed"
TESTIMONY OF ARMY OFFICERS
The officers Of the army, take them one
and all, past and present-from the lieu
tenant general down through all the grades
and ranks 10 the beardless cadet lust from
West Point, and a nobler, drawer. more
honorable body of men does not live In all
this world. Loving their country ana
the nag. their lives are not their own: thew
are their country's. Ready To die ora
always dying for the Republic, they have
not time nor thought TO be unworthy
The words of such heroic souls as Iaw
ton, Liscum. Reilly. from out of the fora
border line of the invisible and weiehtad
with truth These officers have Spoken
commanding officers of departments. of
regiments. captains and lieutenants ~
companies, surgeons, chaplains paymas
tiers. from every grade and rank-spo,<en
frankly. freely, officially. To the ouestions
Of the secretary of war as to the canteen.