The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-09
FRIENDS OF CANTEEN
Make Strong Fight in Senate For
Its Retention.

LIS H6E6nLlOus
Washington. Jan. s.-During the legis-
Iative session Of Tuesday the senate had
under consideration the much mooted
canteen question in connection with the
army reorganization bill The senate
committee in effect restored the provis-
ion for q post exchange or canteen
which had been stricken out Of the bin
by the house For nearly five hours the
senate discussed the committee amend
ment but vote upon the proposition IS
not yet in sight Senators ~Gallinger,
an HI and Hansbrough IN Do v1got-
ously opposed the amendment and in
turn it was quite as strenuOuSly sup
ported by Senators Sewell, IN j. ,Haw
ley, Conn -.)Money, (A1iss.) and Carter
(MOnt.).
Discussion Of the canteen question
was opened by Mr. Gallinger IN. H-) IN
opposition to the proposed amendment
of the committee permitting the sale OF
beer Mr.. Gallinger made an extended
argument in support of his position,
quoting many eminent authorities to
prove that the use Of alcoholic stimu-
lants among men in and out Of armies
was most deleteriouS in its effects. ae
urged that the bill be left, so far as the
canteen question is concerned, as it was
when it came from the house
Mr. Sewel, a member of the military
affairs committee and long a member Of
the board of managers of the soldiers
homes Of the country, said the canteeu
absolutely as a temperance measure
These canteens were allowed to sell TO
the old soldiers only beer and it had
been found that the inmates were willing
to take a glass or two of beer at tie
canteen in preference to visiting the
groggies which surrounded nearly all OF
these institutions.
In conclusion Mr.. Sewell said:
The American soldier ought not tc
be condemned to a refOrmatOry. We
can not recruit the army if you abolish
the post exchange It is opposed to the
soldiers idea OF liberty to be tied down
in that way and he will not have it"
Mr.. Hawley declared that the post ex
change promoted discipline and good or
der in the army He said that the Off
GERS as well as the men OF the army
viewed with dismay the proposition to
abolish the canteen.
In the course of Mr.. Haw1ey's state
ment he was interrupted frequently by
Mr.. Petttgrew, who wanted to learn the
reasons for excluding wine from the
post exchange Finally Mr.. Hawley be-
came impatient and declared he would
not answer another question.
T am quite well aware retorted Mr.
Pettigrew, 'of the senator's inability to
answer my question"
Angry in an instant. the Connecticut
senator demanded with heat:
What does the senator mean by that
way low down insult? Has he been to
a saloon outside Of the post exchange?''
The laughter which arose served to
passed.
Mr. Money Odiss.) said he was thor
Oughly convinced that the post ex-
change promoted temperance, health,
morals and discipline among the sol
diers of the army.
In response to arguments advanced by
Mr. Sewen and Mr.. Money in favor Of
the post exchange, Mr.. Gallinger di-
rected attention to the system in the
navy. Under the law the sailors were
given five cents per day in addition to
their pay in lieu of grOg ratiOns. This
had been found to be an excellent sys-
tenn, and he believed it would be well
to apply it to the army. He declared
that during the first four years after the
canteen was established court martials
in the army had increased 16 per cent
Mr. Hansbrough IN. d, who has
been recognized as one of the leading
opponents in congress Of the post ex-
change made an extended argument in
opposition to the committee amendment.
He declared that the use Of beer de-
graded the men and detracted from their
usefulness as soldiers, and from their
morality as men. The sale of beer in
the canteen, he said. he had been shown,
quoting from a letter from an army
the trouble and misery Of the soldiers
He hoped congress would signa1ize the
opening of the twentieth century by
wiping from the statute books the a1-
thorizatfon of the government saloon
A1essrs. Thurston (Neb.), Platt Conn.,,
and Jones (Ark.) were appointed as con-
ferees on the part Of the senate on two
bills ratifying treaties with the CherO-
kee and the Muskogee or Creek In
dams.
The senate, at $40 p. M. adjourned