The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-09-13

He entered the service free from the
drink and debt habit. He is discharged
with both fixed upon him.
The canteen stands as a constant In
vitation to the total abstainer to drink.
as a temptation to the moderate drinker
to drink more, and as convenience to
the drunkard to load up on beer when
he has not the means to obtain anything
stronger.
The constant presence of the canteen
and the credit system offer opportuni-
ties for the soldiers to keep slightly
under the influence of liquor all the time.
1t was no unusual thing to find coiil-
pany q commanded a company more
than 20 years. on inspection with ma
jority of it's men more or less under the
influence of liquor, but not so much so
as to subject them to punishment: but
they could not perform their duty as
well as they could If they had not been
drinking.
If there is no canteen at an army post
saloons will spring up just beyond the
military reservation, but of so vile a
character that respectable soldiers will
not visit them. When 1 commanded a
company four fifths Of my men would
not go near such dens of vice.
The drunkards would have their pay
day spree, spend all their money, serve
sentences Of court-martial. and be sober
the rest of the time.
The viler the outside dens Of iniquity
are the better for the morals of the gar
rson, because they keep respectable
men away. and the majority are re-
spectacle.
There doubtless have been cases where
the canteen has been of temporary ben>
eft It is said that falsehood may be
of temporary benefit to him who avails
himself of it. But it will be ruinous to
him in the end So will the canteen sys-
tenn be to the army.
The canteen system, in my opinion.
resolves itself into the question: Is it
best to keep a constant temptation be-
fore the total abstainers and moderate
drinkers for the purpose of controlling
the few drunkards?
Many Of our railroad companies ana
business firms require total abstinence
of all their employees. Only imagine
their establishing canteents for them!
Trainmen slightly dazed with beer! I
believe the government should require
the same of the army.
Brigadier General Daggett is we'll
known in Montana. He was lieutenant
colonel of the Twenty-fifth U. S. in
fantry, and was for time stationed at
Fort Missoula. Newspaper men who at
tended the meeting Of the State Press
association at Missoula several years
ago will remember General Daggett as
one Of the speakers at the banquet The
generals glass was turned down, but he
made the speech of the evening. That
was before he became colonel of the
Fourteenth infantry and went to China,
where he won promotion by gallant con-
duct. General Daggett is a fine man
and his military record is clean and
brilliant, but he is Maine man, raised
as prohibitionist, and has lived as a
teetotaler. 1t may be that while his
argument Is sound there is lack of proof
for all he asserts The consensus of tes-
timony given by military men is against
General Daggett; nevertheless, he has
made out strong case against the can
teen, and when the attempt is made to
restore 1t, as it will be made, those op-
posed to the canteen will use General
Daggett's opinion as a brief in the case
1t is good one.