Evening star., 1901-07-19
Drunkenness as the Result of Abol-
ishing Army Canteen.
SEEKING TO SUCCEED SENATOR PLAfT
'ammany About to Thump William
J. Bryan.
GOLF ON THE EAST SIDE
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Oncers and men of the army posts in the
neighborhood of New York city are signing
Tor the days of the army canteen. The
omcers wish the canteen back again be.
| cause when 1t was in existence drunken
| ness, even on pay day, was not the main
| business of the soldier. Now the time OF
officers. both commissioned and non-con-
| mlssloned, Is taken up by looking after In
| toxicated men. Twenty soldiers were be-
| lore the summary court at Fort Wads-
worth the other day for drunkenness, and
| most of them were fined three days pay
Five men were disciplined at Fort Schuyler
Tor the same offense. and 1t Is reported
from other points in the vicinity of New
York that similar difficulties have been en-
countered in trying to keep the soldiers
within bounds. Many private soldiers ex-
press the opinion that the canteen has been
boon to them, as 1T kept them away from
low resorts and enabled them to save
money instead of squandering it in one
days debauch. Under the old regime the
canteen, so called was in reality the club
or the enlisted men. Under the present
conditions, the soldiers say an institution
OF which they We're proud has degenerated
into a place for the eating of ice cream
ana ginger cookies and the purchase of
Snlrts and collar buttons Citizens of
staten Island declare that since the nass-
ing away of the canteen the island has he
come on pay days the scene of wild disor-
der When the time comes for the govern
Inent nt TO give checks to it's men at Fort
Wadsworth the citizens who live in the
ne1ghborhood retire into their houses and
wait for the storm to pass. New York ave-
nue. was filled all last week with intoxi-
Gated soldiers. The Staten Islanders who
were in the habit of dining at the restau-
rants in the neighborhood with their fami-
lies remained at home. Every saloon was
hlled by men in khaki uniform. All night
tne streets echoed with the sounds of rev.
cry In the days of the canteen the citt-
zens OF Fort Wadsworth Rosebank and
other towns along the shore maintain that
such orgies were unknown.
Working 81 Boom for Black.
Since Senator Thomas C. Platt announced
authorltauVely that he did not desire re-
election to the United States senate in 1863
the friends Of former Representative and
former Governor Frank S. Black Of Troy
have started the machinery all over the
state Tor the purpose of landing their man
IN the Senate as Mr.. PlattS successor Two
very prominent republicans began the work
which Is progressing all along the line.
Ihey are supreme Court Justice John Wood
yard Ya; OF Jamestown and Superintendent of
Prisons Cornelius Vanderbilt Collins of
Troy. Senator Platt is said to be aware of
the movement in favor of ex-Gov. Black,
put he has nothing to say concerning 1t at
the moment The senator is taking things
easy IN this heated term. In the spring of
1898 slight unpleasantness developed be-
tween Mr.. Platt and Mr.. Black, and later
on, when 1t was determined to nominate
theodore Roosevelt for governor there was
almost an open rupture Mr.. Black went to
Saratoga and with his heutenants put I'D a
pretty fight for denomination as governor
Mr. Black went down gallantly with his
forces, which numbered nearly third OF
the convention. There was plenty Of hard
feeling between the lieutenants of Mr. Platt
and Mr.. Black, but the two principals said
never word. Gov. Black conducted him
self with great dignity during the campaign
and made one or two speeches for Roose-
velt
Street Car Straps and Microbes.
The connection between the microbe and
the street car strap has frequently been
discussed, and at least one recent instance
has proved somewhat distressingly that
danger is likely to lurk in the piece of
leather which helps to support so many
women during the rush hours Of the day
1t was to protect fresh pair Of white
gloves that a New York woman, compelled
to stand. held her handkerchief inside the
strap while going to the theater. On the
way home she was again compelled to
stand, and once more the handkerchief
came between her glove and the leather
Whether it was after that or during the
evening at the theater that she once
thoughtlessy put the handkerchief t. her
face Is detail hat she does not recall
but two days afterward a pain on her lip
became so intollerable that she was COM
PEELED to see physician, who found her
suffering from incipient blood poisoning
which was already too late for him to
prevent. The most that he could do was
to watch her carefully through a long at
tack Of illness, which at one time threat
ened to end fatally. He attributed this to
some poisonous substance which had pass
ed through her handkerchief from the
strap, and that was his diagnosis the mo-
m6nt he heard the story he ria bo
car She fortunately recovered, and her
physician thinks that the present disfigure-
ment to her face, which resulted from the
necessity Of an operation, will not be per-
manent The case has convinced this phy-
slclan, VINO Is man of considerable ex-
perience in surgery, of the dangers that
Turk In the street car strap.
Tammany After w. J. Bryan.
Desertion to Bryan and his losing issues
appears to have become a popular fad
among democrats. Tammany Hall will deal
the Nebraskan and his lost cause a body
blow, 1t is said, in the mayoralty campaign
by refusing to make any mention of Bryan
or the Kansas City platform, free silver
or Imperialism. Tammany leaders intimate
that the regular democratic platform in
this city for the mayoralty fight will con-
fine itself to local issues entirely and avoid
all reference to the differences in the party
which have arisen since Richard Croker
acknowledged Bryan as the national leader
OF the democracy. By this program of
hide and seek Tammany hopes to hold the
Shepard gold democrats in Brooklyn and
the German sound-money democrats in all
the boroughs Should Jealous Bryan devo-
tees protest Tammany's reply will be that
national issues cannot be brought into a
mayoralty campaign logically. Tammany
has indorsed Bryanism and its tenets for
the last time, it is said and this declara-
tion is being used already in obtaining
funds for the mayoralty campaign from
democratic corporations, which thrive bet
ter with Tammany's favor than it's oppo-
sition.
One of Pfnsree's Pensioners.
The veil of mystery which has hidden
Charles H. Smith for fourteen years has
been lifted. and he has again been drawn
into the public eye through the death of
his old-time partner. the late Governor
Hazen s. Pingree of Michigan. Mr. Smith
is today at Mills Hotel No. /, and of all
the strange people that hostelry harbors
there are few who can tell a more wonder
ful life story than he. When Governor
Pingree's body lay at an undertaking es-
tablishment In this city an old man, pale
and bent, called, glanced at the face
awhile, wept silently and then turned to go
away
That's Charles H. Smith, who sold out