The Irish standard., 1900-09-01

only was drunkenness prevalent, but
$50 men We're registered FOR venerea
diseases.
Arrived in Manila, they found bu
few houses of ill-rcpute, with less thar
a score of total occupants, but imme
diately from all quarters came great
and sudden accession. From Vladivo
stock, Singapore, Yokohama, Hong
Kong, Calcutta and other treaty ports
abandoned women poured into the
new and active market. Social vice
makes no distinction of race or color
These importations included Russians
Germans, French and Italians. Three
hundred were reported as arriving on
one steamer. They found cordial wei.
come, and their houses We're guarded
by United States soldiers under orders
to protect the traffic.
My visitor affirmed that, when he
left Manila, in the Gala Alix, a street
in the northwestern part Of the city,
these notorious houses occupied both
sides of the way for three-quarters of
a mile, the windows filled with solicit
ing women in CARDS too scandalous for
description. The blessings of Amer
lean civilization were beginning among
Il chaste and temperate people. Actual
war upon the natives, although i'm.
minent, had not yet begun.
On the arrival of the regiment, there
existed, according to my informant,
one brewery, one distillery, one gar
den for the sale of beer and spirits,
and several hotels, clubs and restau-
rants, where liquor was served with
meals. Among 5000 Spanish prison
crs not Il single case of drunkenness
was observable. With the arrival of
troops. the grOg- shops multiplied and
tlourshed. over 400 cllrsing the con
qucred city. That the officers were no
better than the men was the convic-
ton of my informant. 1t was CO.
incident that, on the very day of Bish-
OPP Potter's speech. the government re-
ported the dismissal from the army.
by court martial of Maj Kirkman and
lieuts. Gregg and Bailey for drunk
elness in the streets of Manila"
The rcgimcntal cantccn, my caller
| affirmed, was worse than the grog.
shop. The temptation is ever present,
and any good resolutions or feelings of
disgust after Il spree were quickly dis,
PEELED by another drink. On the finan.
cinl side, Il soldiers was limited at the
saloon. Not so at the canteen, where
his pay was held as security for his
drink, and often entirely absorbed. \
soldier is obliged to seek a grog-shop.
but the cantccn seeks him.
If one questions whether such neces
sarily anonymous testimony as re-
port is to he compared with that of the
great and good bishop of New York
let him read the chapter of horrors de-
tailed in the New York Voice by Frank
NJ. Wells. late chaplain of United
States volunteers, which he gave ver-
bally to President Mckinley and Sec
rotary Root. Chaplain Pierce has laid
stress upon the number of huts from
which maddcning native liquors were
dispensed, but it is not made plain that
these were not in such evidence be-
fore our troops arrived, for whose
trade they We're established. Chap
lain Wells, in Il recent interview with
the editor of the New York Philan-
thropist, testified: "Whisky and bad
women We're running more men into
death in the Philippines than are being
killed by Filipino bullets or injured by
other causes"
Drunkenness, lust, gambling, bru-
tality and other vices that annihilate
conscience are in full swing in Manila.
Not only are these natives polluted by
this contact with superior civilization,
but the soldiers who return to the
United States bring with them the
seeds of disease and contagion, to be
sown broadcast. Who can estimate
the ravages among our own people in
consequence?
We have president belonging to
the great Methodist denomination
which probably includes the largest
per cent Of prohibitionists of any re.
ligious organization in the country
The souls Of many Of it's members are
stirred over the question whether theil
distinguished communicate turns his
wineglass down on festive occasions o,
ventures to take n drop. We have ,
secretary of the navy who is presiden
of the Massachusetts Total Abstinenc,
society. Contributions for it are an
nually solicited to save few drunk
ards from the gutter. Mr.. McKinle.
has but to speak the word to clos,
every grog shop in Manila and remed,
the canteen abomination. He can fin,
excuses for arbitrary power to the ex
tent of multiplying the principles of re
publican government and disregardin
the constitution, but not to clean on
the saloons in the Philippines No
has the total abstainer, Secretar
Long. vet made his influence fel
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