Evening star., 1900-09-18
u
The Merits ofthe Institution Forcibly
Presented.
AGREEING VIEWS OF MAINLAND WOMAN
How the Canteen Keeps the Soldier
Sober and Out oflBad Company.
IT HELPS THE VETERANS


what modern, the condition is as old as the
former "sutler'' in the army. The whole
question resolves itself into an effort to con-
troll condition which cannot be eliminated
altogether. In the old army the condition
Of the enlisted man differed in great many
ways from now. Then physical soundness
and sufficient intellect to drill and handle
a musket were the chief desiderata; now
higher order of intellect 1s required, Joined
or added to the former qualifications
In former days promotions from the ranks
to the positions of commissioned officers
were almost unheard of; now they are fast
becoming a rule. 1 do not think that dis
cipline Is unfavorably affected thereby, but
on the contrary, is slightly improved.
In the old days 1T was a serious question
as to whether an officer should be allowed
to have what liquor he wanted, while
enlisted man who was afflicted with the
same degree Of thirst was officially de-
barred. This discrimination was tried for
many years, and the result was that the
enlisted man did procure the liquor, and
knowing the difficulty of accomplishing the
opportunity, when the ambrosia was within
his reach he made the most of the occa-
sion and filled up Notwithstanding that
the certain epilogue OF the drama was a
garrison court-martial, IL not general one.
This resulted in a grave and earnest dis
cussion among the authorities as to wheth-
er it would not be better to let the men
have, under certain restrictions. the privi-
lege Of having openly and under military
rules a beverage at once healthful and in
vigorating, Joined to the fact that under
these rules, by removing this inhibition, 1t
excited a higher degree Of manhood by the
fact that having made the concession to
their desires it carried with 1t an appeal to
their honor.
The result has been an almost total aboli-
ton of drunkenness from the army. An
enlisted man can now go to the canteen like
a man, call of his beer procure 1t at mini
mum price, obtain a good, pure article, and
1rrx TO txytth no
proach If the commanding general of the
army and his whole star should be standing
by and see him.
This canteen system has not been confined
to the army, but has been tried In cor
relative channel - the soldiers homes
throughout the country. These homes are
inhabited by a class of men very near and
dear to the people of this country, but VINO
Gt is said in no unkindness, for l was an
officer of one of them for thirteen years.
have tried the battle of live unsuccessfully,
and in the twilight of life, the full noon
day Of which has been given to their coun.
try have settled down to try to study out
the cause of their failure.
/ have heard 1t stated that whisky was
the sole cause of their being there. wish
to brand that statement as ne 1 know
whereof speak. But that there Is class,
and a large one, who have been brought to
these retreats by an indulgence In liquor.
there is no doubt What will you do with
them? After thirty-nine years OF fndui-
senca in this beverage shall we tell them
that they must stop? We might as well try
to stop the eternal progress or the stars.
If they cannot obtain 1t legitimateiy, they
will in some other way ano IL wiz NC
vile mixture instead of a pure one
At the National Soldiers Home at Day
ton for a while there was a reign or terror.
Outside the home. and reaching nearly INTO
DAYTON, was a street OF brothels and sa-
looms. There was hardly pension day but
some Of those oid men were found MUIR
dered and robbed. and those who escaped
met oftentimes a worse rate IN lingering
disease. The first step TO Danish these was
the mile limit law. This was merely a
geographical improvement, and the men
walked or rode to Dayton. But Cen NJ
R. Patrick, the governor OF the nome "a
radical temperance mani, suggested lur-
ther remedy In the establishment or can
teen The result has been marVel.
Drunkenness instead Of being rule, Is an
exception. The profits from the canteen
go into the library. the band, entertain
ment and other things useful and benencial
to the men, drinkers and abstainers alike.
The same rule prevails at Milwaukee. In
a conversation with Col Cornelius " neeler,
governor of that home, he said that the
canteen was useful coadjutor in the ad-
ministration Of the home. at the state
home at Bath N. Y. they have a canteen,
and the adjutant told me 1t was doing a
great deal of good. 1 could cite other
homes, but 1t is not necessary for illustra-
ton.
upon inquiry, that there was no canteen at
our National Soldiers Home at Washing
ton. Upon further inquiry OF the adjutant,
Captain Taylor, l learned that in the neigh
borhood of the home there were certain
"speakeasies" which could not be reached
by law for want Of tangible and sufficient
testimony, where the old veterans could
find the material upon which to become in
toxicated.
Here is the opportunity for the commits
nf OffpnSeS
violation of law against liquor selling or
buying within the mile limit, disobedience
Of orders and drunkenness The canteen
would obviate all three of these evils
While the mile limit law makes the prop
erty in the immediate neighDorhood of
these homes more valuable, 1T does not stop
the drunkenness 1t simply makes the men
go farther for indulgence, and the difficulty
of obtaining 1t causes them to bring bot
tie home to satisfy the thirst that expert
ence has taught them will be present on the
following day.
There is another feature in this. These
soldiers, both young and old, when they are
away from garrison or post are more apt 10
drink spirituous instead of mat liquors,
whereas at the canteen they would be sat
isfied with the malt, which Is far the less
injurious, II 1t Is injurious at all, taken In
moderation.
An experience Of many years. both as an
army officer and in civil life. during all OF
which time have had control OF men. has
taught me tflat as a rule tney Wiii ACT
about as they are treated 1t remains for
their superiors to establish the plane upon
which they are expected to stand. The
most pleasant feature Of the regular army
today is the elevation of this plane, and the
men are meeting 1t with loyal endeavor
to merit It. One Of its most salient features
Is the inculcatfon Of the idea that lney can
be both a soldier and ~ man; that II they
wish to have glass of beer they need not
stink away like criminal tP obtain IT.
prove OF the use Of tea on account or the
astringent qualities ofbthei ltannic acid 1t
contains. Ergo tea Is injurious. Now, sup
pose that some set Of ,eranks should begin
crusade against tea and carry 1t to sue
cessful issue. 1t would break up all the
feminine societies in America.
In the temperance agitation In this coun-
try the invariable result u has been that
where they have instituted, reform $50
called) the substitute has always been worse
than the original evil. o.
l will cite one instance. In the SOS a
determined crusade was begun against the
domestic sideboard. 1t wasourged that the
presence Of liquor in household was q
standing and ever resentrtemptation to
the rising generation. Ministers of the
Gospel preached against 1t; certain news
papers advocated the abolition of this dan
gerous pest; house to house visits were
made, and the result was that the liquor
bearing sideboard, with its cut-giass de-