The Van Buren press., 1901-05-25
ARMY CANI[[N ABOLITION
Maj. Zen. brooke Has Called for
Reports on the Results of the
Canteen Abolition.
WHAT THE REPORTS WILL INDICATE.
A General Decentralization at the
Army Posts After Pay Days, Re-
sulting In Numerous Arrests for
Drunkenness and Absence with
out Leave.

New York May 23-The Times says.
to all cCmmandants of posts in the
department of the east to send to him
on September ! complete report OF
the results which have ensued upon
abolition of the army canteen. OIL
GERS say that these reports will show
beyond cavil that intemperance has
largely Increased under the new
regime and it is predicted that the
next congress will give serious con-
sideration to the real situation as it
has developed.
Seven privates absent without leave
from Fort Ethan Allen, VT, have just
been locked up in the military prison
at Governors Island, which is the
headquarters of the department.
They disappeared from their post inn
mediately after payday of this month
and their troubles are attributed by
officers to the abolition of canteens.
All Say 81 Told You So"
A reporter interviewed number of
officers at Governors Island, and ev-
cry one of them was saying 81 told
you so" hen the cases of Fort Sheri-
dan, Fort Smelling and Fort Ethan
Allen were called to mind. The Off
GERS there regard it as matter Of
but short time when the public
sentiment of the nation will demand
the re-establishment of the canteen.
Capt. Adams, who was acting adju-
tant general at Governors Island in
Gen. Sheridan's absence, said that
since payday there has been unusual
trouble in nearly every post in the
department, and he understood IN
other departments also. The number
of men arrested has been larger than
usual and there have been noticea-
bic number arrested for intoxication.
He was not prepared to say just what
the percentage of the increrS'e was.
Trouble ut All the Posts.
Trouble was reported at Fort Ham,
ilton, Fort Schuyler, Fort Wadsworth,
Fort Hancock and at Willets Point.
Payday at Fort Totten, Willet's
Point, Long Island sound, came last
Wedne sday, and the 40l soldiers sta.
toned there drew about $50 per man.
Since that time there have been wild
and hilarious times in the saloons Of
milestone, the nearest village to the
reservation, and in the half dozen
roadhouses that are situated at in
tervals along the road that leads
from the fort TO the village.
what the Records show.
The records at the fort show that
for the first 20 days Of this month
there have been seven court-martials
on drunk and disorderly" charges,
and ~ for absence without leave. The
| 81 absentees and the ~ men now IN
the guardhouse will add considerably
TO those figures. There have been,
since the last payday, as many as ten
men absent without leave at one time
from one company of less than one
hundred men.
Due to Abolition.
Commenting on this, Maj William
NJ. Black, the commandant Of the
fort. stated that the number was un'
precedented in his recollection.
Maj. Black, AdJutant Howell, and
every officer interviewed at the fort,
gave, without hesitation, the opim on
that the change for the worse In the
general discipline was due entirely tc
the abolition Of the canteen, and the
turning over OF the soldier, with hi,
monthly pay in his pocket, to the
tender mercies OF outside saloonkcep
ers, who thrive In the vicinity Of mil
itnry poata