The age-herald., 1901-01-09
SPIRITED DEBATE ON ARMY CANTE[N Racy Remarks on Both Sides
 of the Question THE VOTE NOT YET IN SIGHT Soldier Should Not be Condemn-
 ed to a Reformatory ONE SENATOR GETS WRATHFUL SewelI Thinks That if Canteen is Abol- ished Men Cannot be Recruited.
 GaIinger Quotes Authori-
 ties Against Beer.
ONE SENATOR GETS WRATHFUL

Washington January S.-During the legis-- lative session of today the Senate had un- der consideration the much mooted can- teen question, in connection with the army reorganization bill. The Senate committee in effect restored the provision for a post exchange canteen, which had been strlcken out of the bin by the House. For nearly five hours the Senate discussed the commits tee amendment, but vote upon the propo- s5tion Is not yet in sight. Senators Gallinger of New Hampshire and Hansbrough of North Dakota vigorously opposed the amendment, and, in turn, 1t was quite as strenuously supported by Senators Sewen of New Jersey, Hawley of Connecticut, Money of Mississippi and Carter of Mon- tana.
 Discussion of tGle canteen question was opened by MT. Gallinger of New Hampshire in opposition to the proposed amendment of the committee permitting the safe of beer. MT. Gallinger made an extended argu- ment in support of his position quoting many eminent authorities to prove that the use of alcoholic stimulants among men in and out of armies were most deleterious in its effects.
 MT. Sewell, a member of the military af- fairs committee, and long member of the board of Soldiers Home of the country, said the canteen had been adopted at the Soloier' Homes absolutely as temperance measure. These canteens were allowed to l sell to the old soldiers only beer, and 1t l had been found that the inmates were will- l ing to take glass or two of beer at the | canteen in preference to visiting the grog- ] geries, which surround nearly all of these i'm he adn of a taas been instinctly benefcent to the old soldiers.
 Cannot Recruil.
 In conclusion, Mir Sewell said: "The American soldier ought not to be condemned to reformatory. We cannot 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.''
 MT. Hawley declared that the post ex- change promoted discipline and good order in the army. He said that the officers as well as the men of the army viewed with dismay the proposition to abolish the can teen.
 In the course of MT. Hawley's statement he was interrupted frequently by MT. Pet tigrew, who wanted to learn the reasons for excluding wine from the post exchange, Finally MT. Hawley became impatient and
 
 ton.
 Il am quite well aware" retorted MT. Pettigrew, 'of the Senator's inability to answer my questions
 Angry in an instant, the Connecticut Sen. ator demanded with heat What does tho Senator mean by that way low down in. suit? Has he been to saloon outside the post exchange?
 The laughter which arose served to clear the atmosphere and the incident passed.
 1f ~..s1 k,. thoroughly convinced that the post ex- change promoted temperance, health. mor- als and discipline among the soldiers of the army, and this was proved, he said, by the testimony of army officers
 In response to arguments advanced by MT. Sewell and MT. Money in favor of the post exchange, MT. Gallinger directed at- tention 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 greg ratons. This had been found to be an excellent system and he believed 1t would be we'll to apply it to the army. He declared that during the first four years the canteen was established, courtmartial had increased in the army 1e per cent.
 Beer Injurious.
 MT IIansbrough of North Dakosa made an extended argument in opposition to tho committee amendment. He declared that the use of beer degraded the men and de- tracted from their usefulness as soldiers. and from their morality as men. The sale of beer in the canteen, he said, had been shown quoting from a letter from army officer, to be at the bottom of most of the trouble and misery of the soldier. He hoped Congress would signaliZe the open- ing of the twentieth century by wiping from the statute books the authorization of the government saloon.
 Messrs. Thurston of Nebraska, Platt of Connecticut and Jones of Arkansas were appointed as conferees upon the part of the Senate on two bills ratifying treaties with the Cherokee and Muscogee or Creek In- dians.