The Washington times., 1901-10-29
GEN. MILES ON THE CANT ZEN.
He Denies That He Ever Favored the
Sale of IntoxIcants

Lieutenant General Miles made a state
ment yesterday in regard to his position
| on the canteen que estion. particular refer
| ence being made to his remarks In his an
nual report that the abolishment of the
oanteen had not caused a decrease in en-
hstmeRts or an increase in the number of
| desertions. General Miles explained that
MS attitude as given in the report had
| been construed as a change of mind on
| the general subject. This. he declares is
| not true, and he denies that he has at apv
| urhe advocated the sale of beer or wines
in the army canteen. He said further
| MY position against intoxicants in the
| army dates back over twenty-five wears
| IN ietter 70 General Banning. Chairman
1 OF the House Committee in 1876. l said.
| AZ nearly every military post there is
| established, under authority OF law a
trader drinking ssI,Oon, for both Officers
anu men The injurious influence OF this
- apparent The records of the military
| courts VIII show that the greater number
o. ohences IN the army can be traced d.
rectly to these establishments IL Is
| therefore. recommended that the selling
OF alcoholic liquors be prohibited on ali
military reservations ana ..t every mill
tary post, as has been done on ships in
the navy with most advantageous re-
suits.
General Miles also called attention to
his testimony before the Senate Commit
tee as follows:
Senator Sewell-I want to ask YOU II
you approve of the canteen as 1t is, and
whether 1t has been a good thing In the
army?
General Miles-I think IL was on my
recommendation that the sale OF alcoholic
liquors was prohibited in the army That
was done several years ago | recoru-
mended it to President Hayes, and have
the pen now with which re wrote the or
der prohibiting the sale of rum, gin. BRAN
~.
sale of light wines and beers That was
a step ! thought at that time desirable;
that was as far as | was ready to go In
that direction and that order think has
peen of benefit to the service.
Senator Sswell-You think that has
proved to be a good thing for discipline
and satisfies the men, and as a result
there is less intsmperance than under the
old system?
The Chairman-Fewer offences anG more
money saved?
General Mles-The old way was very
bad, becansc the suffers store was de-
moralizing. and ! asked President Hayes
TO make that order and ne did il. ard |
have the pen now with which he wrote
it. Then, at the commencement of the
Spanish war, l called attention even TO
the sale of beer and wine. urging that the
department commanders would reduce the
use of it as much nnsEihle, particularly
in the tropics. in a general order issued
and that was done. Having it under their
absolute control now, they can stop the
sale of beer and wine or restrict it.
Senator BurTows-Who can. general2
General Miles-The department COM
manders ana the army commanders.
Senator Burrows-They can abolish the
canteen If they see fit?
General Miles-Yes; or they can prohibit
the sales of more than one drink in day
If they want to. In fact. l called atten-
tion to that in ar order issued at the COM
mencement of the Spanish war As to
whether it would now be advisable to pro-
hibit everything Of that kind is matter
you can judge as well as / can.
The ChairInan-Would you say that the
establishment of the post exchange as it
is now has had a good effect on the arTny2
General Miles-I think it is far better
than it was before