The Tucson citizen., 1902-11-01
THE HRMy CANTEEN.

There are two kinds of witnesses to
testify to the results of the abolition
of the army canteen. One of these is
the man (or woman) who advocated
the measure and is now satisfied. The
canteen no longer offends his (or herr
sight, and that is enough. On the
surface of things morality has tri-
umphed. The other witness is the
man, usually an army officer acting in
the line of duty, who wants to ascer-
tain facts. He has no theories to
exploit, no propositions to bolster up,
no propaganda to promote 1t is for
him to inquire into the real conditions;
to take the testimony of actual, un-
deniable, eloquent facts. 1t is not for
him to be contented with glance at
the vacant site of the banished can
teen and roll his eyes to heaven in
complacent thankfulness. A man of
serious affairs, charged with grave
responsibilities, and subject to the
rules of rational behavior he is not
permitted to stop at a survey of the
wrecked canteen; he has to look be-
yond the pretty hedge and see what
DEVILS work it screens.
We have heard from the witness of
THE first mentioned class. He sits
among the ruins of the canteen and
sees not foot beyond. But the other
witness has no dreams to nurse. It
is not given to him to feed his con-
science on illusions. He is a man of
action, and his are duties which he is
not permitted to define for himself.
The commission under which he acts
| is mortal thing. He is answerable
TO an authority at once tangible and
specific. If he bear false witness, he
is held to strict account. He cannot
escape from any mischief he may cre-
ate by appealing to the skies. Upon
the whole, this witness is more salts
factory. He must have common
sense, and he is bound to tell the truth.
1t is vulgar, perhaps, even irreverent;
but it is adapted to the average intel
ligence
And SO we come around to the testi-
mony of General Fred Funston. the
commander of this military department
"a man of theatrical exploits and
sometimes a source of gayety to the
nations, no doubt, but a witness who
is responsible to plain human author
ity and who cannot demand absolution
from the penalties of falsehood by
/ claiming inspiration. We are indebt-
ed to an army friend at Fort Huachu-
co for copy of General Funstons re-
port to the Secretary of War. Speak
ing of the abolition of the canteen he
says:
Since this action was taken saloons
! OF the lowest type have been estab-
llshed just outside the boundaries of
the various reservations; their pro-
! prietors are, in almost every case, un-
principled scoundrels, who leave moth
ing undOne to debauch the soldiers.
y
Gambling is universal in these
dives, and they are frequented by dis
sOlute women. The soldiers, whose
desire for drink would ordinarily be
satisfied by few glasses of beer in the
canteen of the post exchange, goes to
one of these resorts an does we'll if he
escapes before he has spent or gambled
away all his money, overstayed his
leave, or engaged in an alteration.
=
Since I have had command here
there has taken place the ruin and
degradation of several non-commis-
stoned officers of long service and fine
record. In short, the recent legisla-
tion by Congress on this question, so
far as this department is concerned,
has had no effect except to lower the