The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-23
SHOULD UNDO THE WRONG.

when the dHti-cdhtecE Diil was De- fore Congress The Advertiser opposed l it's passage at every step of its pro gress. It was pointed out that the abolition of canteens would be detri-
 mental 10 the health and well being of the individual soldiers, hurtful to army | discipline and a step backward in the
 cause of true temperance reform, but
 1t did no good. The arguments and appeals of the real and true friends of temperance, in the army and every where else. had no effect. and the bill
 was passed. Congress suffered itself
 carried away by false predictions and
 mawkish sentiment, and took a step
 which was contrary to the welfare of
 those whom 1t was supposed to be
 favoring. In the words of Father Dal-
 ton, man who has had much expe-
 rience in army post work:
 No one can enforce total abstinence
 That Is only theory. We can restrict the liquor trade. which the canteen did, but we cannot wipe 1t out. I am a Knight of Father Matthew, a total ab- stainer. and would see every one in the world belong, but know it is impossible. and do not join these crusades. All the good the women want to do they undid, and all the good that was being done without them they have utterly ruined.
 The returns are already coming in,
 and there is hardly a word from any
 unprejudiced or disinterested observer
 who fails to join in the opinion that
 the abolition of the army canteen was
 an unfortunate and mis-directed act. From observers at all the army posts,
 both in the United States and in our foreign possessions, come the positive l statements that the repeal of the can- teen law has ben detrimental to the army and to the soldiers. There is hardly a break in the testimony, and it
 comes from those who have the best opportunities for getting at the facts and who have no cause for misrepre- senting existing conditions.
 As we have more than once pointed the soldiers should drink beer or liquor, for they will do it, and there's no use arguing against 1t. The real question, is: How can the soldiers be supplied
 with spirituous drinks in the way which will be best for them as indi- viduals, best for the army as a whole. and more conducive to discipline? That is the problem. and we have read enough of the operations of the new
 plan to thoroughly agree with this ct fov mt tya The The abolition of the canteen, it has been demonstrated, means more drunk
 enness. more men in the guard house,
 more court-martials more assertions and
 more demoralization amohg the troops. Nobody Is so vitally interested in main
 officers who command them. The truth and reasonableness of this statement
 must be apparent to anybody who has
 the faintest conception of an officers du- ties and responsibilities and his relations to his men. If officers had their way about it they would have only teetotalers in their commands. But they cannot have their way, and hence they favor the best serve sobriety and contentment in the ranks.
 That the next Congress will be called l on to correct the mistake made by the last one is practically certain and that 1 such determination will arouse stroug
 and bitter opposition is to be expected. | It Is not to be doubted that the mem-
 bers will be besieged and importuned
 by misguided enthusiasts who still
 allow themselves to be deluded by the
 notion that mems appetites and desires
 can be regulated by legal enactment.
 If the Congress will be guided by the
 facts which have developed, and by
 common sense it will provide for the
 re-establishment of the army canteen
 under such regulations as will be pro-
 ductlve of least harm, morally and
 physically.