The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-01
IN FAVOR OF gANIHN LAN
MILITARY SURGEONS. TAKE DE-
CISIVE STAND FOR THE RE-
VIVAL OF THE ACT
SOLDIERS NOT PRISONERS
Association LISTENS to Mai. Sea-
mans Paper and Then Adopts
Resolution DepIorIng Re-
peal of the Law.

mans Paper and Then Adopts
Resolution DepIOrIng Re-
peal of the Law.
The Association of Military Surgeons
is in favor Of the repeal of the anti
canteen law AT the morning session in
the state house yesterday the subject
was introduced by resolution, in a paper
by Maj. Louis L. Seaman. late Of the
First United States volunteer engineers.
No intimation had been given beforehand
that the subject would be brought up
and when it was it caused much sur
prise and more discussion, though there
was none who opposed the speaker. An
other resolution. was introduced by Col.
Reed, of Wyoming, to constitute every
delegate a committee to see the congress
men from his state and to provide for
a committee of three to labor with con-
gress This also was adopted. 1t is the
plan to have the last committee act with
the legislative committee of the American
Medical association. Maj. Seaman's pa
per was exhaustive and to the point, the
subject being, "Raticns and the Can
teen in the Army in the Tropics. In
part he said:
"Of what value is the best evidence
before a court or congress that would
sell it's birthright for mess of pottage,
as was done by the last one in its servile
catering for votes, by submitting,
against its judgment, to the influence
of a lot of fanatical and hysterical
women. and abolishing the army post
exchange, or canteen. AS you well know,
the overwhelming testimony Of line and
staff officers, men of probity and honor,
total abstainers and others, was almost
to a man in favor of the retention of the
post exchange. 1t is not my purpose to
review the evidence on this subject that
was pretty thoroughly threshed during
the debate in congress, but there was
one very important factor that was en-
tirely omitted in the discussion that may
furnish a subject for reflection for those
who were instrumental in bringing about
this lamentable change. The enemies of
the canteen seem to have forgotten that
when men accustomed to the use of
stimulants are deprived of them in one
way, they will resort to other methods to
obtain them. Less than per cent
of the army are total abstainers. Sol
diers are not prisoners; they are we'll
paid men and have their pass days. The
habits of the vast majority of them were
formed long before their enlistment and
a large proportion Of them belong to the
class known as drinkers. When the sol
der cannot obtain glass of beer or
light wine at the post exchange IN camp,
the first place he generally strikes for
when on pass is the nearest saloon, where
in Porto Rico he is served with rum
loaded with fusel oil: at home vile doc
tored whisky; in the Philippines, vino, a
sort of wood alcohol distilled from the
nepa leaf: or in China, the samshu,
product of rice; all rank poisons, one or
two drinks of which steal away his
brain. Then follow excuses to which In
his sober moments he would be the last
to deScend-inSubordina Observation-Disclosures
debauchery or desertion.
CANNOT LEGISLATE VIRTUE.
Congress, when considering the repeal
of the anti-canteen act, as it must at it's
Gyyf eli VTYin do fn 1lNkaTs
that the abolition of the post exchange
has not even promoted temperance. On
the contrary, it has decidedly promoted
intemperance, INSTRUMENTATION discon-
tent, sullenness, disease and desertions
1t has embittereu the men and driven
them to the very excuses sought to be
abolished. You cannot legislate men to
be VirtuouS or to be total abstainers, bat
you can, by judicious handling, promote
chastity and temperance. The canteen
fostered moderation. 1t led the hard
the temptation winch always c1ings to
forbidden fruit. It's ablition angered
the men. They felt it as an insult to
their manhood, and a deprivation Of their
wish, and they resent the attempt to pre-
vent them. A glass or two of beer is
not injurious to them, and they know it,
and sneeringly criticise congressman
retain their well-patronized cloak-room,
with its private stock Of good old whisky
but who rob the soldiers-other paid
servants of the same governmental
their right to take a glass of beer on
their camp grounds in their well-disci-
plined and orderly canteents. And who
will gainsay the justice of this conclu-
sion?"
ADOPT A RESOLUTION.
After the reading of the paper a gem
eral discussion followed and the consen-
sus Of opinion was that the women of
the w. c. T. U. were more meddlesome
than they ought to be. Gen. Byers, Of
Wisconsin,; Col Griffith, of Missouri and
Col. Reed, Of Colorado, all praised the
paper, and they were followed by others
who echoed their sentiments Col. Grit
fifth said that If it had not been for the
army canteen in Chickamauga there
would have been more trouble than there
was. Maj. J. Van Rensselaer, Hoff, of
the regular army, said that the agitation
against the army canteen was first
brought about when the volunteer SOL
diers returned from the Philippines The
men were all inexperienced when they
went into the service, and they brought
back reports that somewhat misrepre-
scented things. In many of the volunteer
regiments the canteens were limitations
of the post exchange, so called but
abuses were allowed He said the as
ISOLATION ought to take action in a dig
nifed manner. Following is the resoIu-
ton that was the cause of the discus
sion:
Whereas, The Association of Military
Surgeons of the United States now in
session at St. Paul, recognizes that the
abolition of the army post exchange. or
canteen, has resulted, and must inevita-
bly, result, in an increase of intemper-
ance, INSTRUMENTATION, discomfort, deser-
ton and disease in the army; therefore,
be it
Resolved, That this body deplores the
action of congress in abolishing the said
post exchange, or canteen, and, in the
interests of sanitation, morality and dis
cipline, recommends It's re-establishment
at the earliest date
ABOLISH THE JOURNAL
At the opening of the afternoon SEES
sion the committee on journal after hav-
ing considered the various propositions
submitted, reported. The report read in
part:
1T believes the publication of a jour
nal ineXpedient at the present time;
further, that many of the points sug-
gested as reasons for the publication of
a journal can be covered by the election
of a permanent secretary, who shall be
authorized to issue in pamphlet form
within thirty days after the meeting Of
the association, the minutes of the
meeting lists of officers and commit
tees for the ensuing year, and brief
notes of interest regarding the meeting,
and that circulars be issued by the Sec
rotary whenever in his judgment such IS
sue may be advisable
Some discussion followed this.