Washington sentinel., 1901-05-18
The Oanteeu BIunder.

The OanTeen Blunder.
1t is still some months before
the assembling oi Congress. This
may enable the friends OF the sol
dier to add 10 the volume oi tes-
timony appealing Tor a return to
the old system--it cannot add TO
the character OF that testimony.
In addition to the expert evi-
dence of officers, which was stu
pidly disregarded at the last ses
sion of Congress, we now have the
practical results OF test period Of
canteen prohibition to offer. 1t
has been conclusively shown that
in the absence OF the former post
opportunities to obtain light wines
and beers saloons and their patrons
multiply in camp vicinities, while
drunkenness, desertions and courts
martial increase. Nor do the sol
diers stop at drinking. They go
on to other and even grosser dis
sipation.
From all directions we hear tnat
our military posts, from being
models of order and sobriety, with
the disappearance Of the post ex-
changes have become centres OF
debauchery, around which dives
oil the lowest order have been
drawn like deep bitches, into
which most enlisted men inevitably
tall whenever they get outside OF
the military lines with money in
their pockets Hen ce the monthly
pay day has grown to be horror
to officers, and to the men under
them who are able to control
themselves.
Writing from Tarlac, Luzon,
March ~, of this year, Corporal
D. S. Gressang, Twelfth United
States Infantry, saws:
lust wish the w c. T. u had some
Of their members present in Tarlac on
pay day and the two following DAYS It
was simply awful the way the soldiers
became demorahzed. In the first place
they had too much money, having had
20 pay no canteen bills, Secondly
there was no army canteen in which to
spend it, and where they would have
had to keep order The result was that
they Just roamed around all over town
among the different cdnteens kept BY
civilians, and the amount OF drunken
ness and fighting was enormous Out
of our little detachment alone five were
put in the guardhouse, and twice as
many deserved it; aud you ought TO
have seen the number ol black eyes and
bruised faces. 1t is awful. Now, for
myself, l am not a drinking man, but |
believe that the army canteen is an
absolute necessity. You see, the mai
oTity of the men drank b lore they came
in the army, and, Of course, they are
bound to keep 1t up. Now, when the
Canteen was in existence they were able
10 draw checks during the two months
between pay days at the rate of three
dollars at time, and the result was that
another was that the companies got all
the profits These went into the COM
pany funds, and were used to buy extra |
food. Now the outsiders get it all and |
the companies nothing; and we have to |
depend on Government straight" To |
be sure, we still have considerable OF |
a fund, but with nothing coming in that |
will soon be exhausted q II the talk |
about the Coz ernIrtnt enticiug men to |
drink is bosh. In aEovernment Csnteen |
nothing but beer and light wines could |
be bought, while in the other pls ces /
everything is sold and can assure you
that the best Of liquors is not sold, |
either.
Outside the sentimental circle
which worked TOR the new law the
canteen system has secured fresh
friends through temporary aboli-
ton. The Rev. VIM. A. Dalton,
4 rational priest and worker for
temperance, is one of these. He
calls the removal OF the canteen a
grave mistake, and says he never
saw so many drunken soldiers AT