The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-08
Act Of Congress Will Be Brought to Attention
of Veterans at Encampment.
Many Commanders See Folly
in Act Banishing
Canteen.
Action Absolutely Criminal.
Declares DR.. Hugo
PhilLer.
Special to The Journal.

Washington, Aug. S.-StaH officers
and department commanders Of the G.
utterances of "Corporal'' Tanner, com
mander-in- chief, that the passage by
congress Of an act abolishing canteens
from national soldiers homes after
next March was unwise and a blow at
real temperance, besides restriction of
the personal liberties of the veterans
Of the civil war that ought to be re.
sented.
A number Of prominent officials Of
the organization have written Cor
poralo Tanner of their intention to
bring the matter before the national
encampment, which meets in less than
a week at Minneapolis. The resolutions
censuring congress and demanding that
the old soldiers be treated as able to
fight, as there are number of officials
who will approve the act.
After the interview with Commander
n-Chief Tanner appeared In the news
papers, letters were sent to each staff
officer and departmental commander,
asking his views on the question. OF
about thirty answers that have been
received, twenty are strong in their APP
prevail of the attitude of the comman-
der-in-chief, five favor the abolition Of
the canteen and five are non-committal.
Coney taVorS CanLeen.
One of the leading candidates for
commander -in-chief at the Minneapolis
convention is P. H. Coney, commander
Of the department of Kansas. He writes
that he concurs in the position taken by
Corpora" Tanner, saying:
"My close observation and expert
national military home for disabled vol
unteer soldiers at Leavenworth gives
me clearer knowledge of the benefits
| and abuses of the canteen than many
who have not been in as close obser-.
| walton of the effort to protect the mem
| bers of that home against outside de-
| bauchery beyond the limits and control
of the home,e places where the vilest OF
intoxieants were sold to members of the
! home.
"These demoralizing and fe-destroy-
ing placesSWer inspired on account OF
| the patronage that might be obtained
from members Of the home who squan.
dered their resources and because OF
the restrictions of the home. | led the
battle to destroy such places. We found
that these places offered extra induce
ments to members of the home to visit
them and waylay them. We have a.
strong law in the state Of Kansas that
makes it misdemeanor to sell stupe-
flying or intoxicating drinks to mem
| D6TS Oh Inc uOH6, DuC ILLS INV, llh0
our prohibitory law, is disregarded and
violated by the lawless element.
| Condition Demands Liquor.
"The members of the homes are
J generally aged men who have formed
habits that are practically their second
nature. Many Of them, in their weak
ness and frailty, require little alco-
holic stimulant, which is prescribed and
recommended by their physicians, and
to be denied it would shorten their
days. If the canteen is abolished, these
men will find this liquor outside of the
instead Of the purest beverages and
stimulants. They cannot be prevented
from doing this, even by expelllng them
from the homes. I don It take this po-
sition because desire to encourage the
use of stimulants in any form, but be:
cause believe it is practical to deal
with conditions that we cannot entirely
abrogate. -
! DR.. Hugo Philler of Waukesha. Wis.
has written strong letter on the ques,,
ton, one to "Corporal - Tanner as well
4 as one for publication.
81 consider the abolition of the army
canteen as extreme folly, and the aboli-
ton Of the canteens at the national sol
| diers' homes as absolutely criminal.
! practically forcing the disabled veter-
ans into dangerous and disreputable
/ surroundings. Action by the national
encampment on this subject might tend
to the promotion of sanity in legisia-
ton in such matters IN the future.
I: e. Burt, assistant adl9tant gen.
Wyoming, says that the position Of
Corporal Tanner is most heartily en-
dorsed by him. He says: 1T is a
shame to treat man in such man
ner. It makes the soldier of the regu.
lar army feel. and many times act. like
culprit. His manhood is taken away
and he loses all self-respect thereby. y
eral, of Kentucky, says it ''is out Of
. reason and demands the condemnation
J of every comrade in the land and by
all the friends of the old soldier
J. w. Canes, department commando
: Of Wisconsin. at Fox Lake. writes thaA
, he favors the canteen.
Charles A. Partridge, assistant ad1u
E tant general Of Illinois. takes the op
) posite view. He does not believe that
canteen is productive of good, and re
joices that the canteen has been "cu1
OUT
Canteen Gone; Drunkenness.
J. F. Ayars, department commands
of the Indian Territory, talks interest
/ ! :.
III lived several years at Junction
: City, Kan, three miles from Fort Riley
A part Of the time they operated thu
canteen system at that fort. Durins
: that time it was a rare sight to see s
! drunken soldier on the streets at juno
: ton City, but when the canteen wa.
|, abolished the town was full Of drunkeI
! soldiers, which was constant annoy
t ance to the city authorities. as well q,
q officers at the fort. This convinced
me that the sale of beer and hghj
3 drinks at military post was one ad
g vancing step towards temperance, NOR
d atty and sobriety. The act of congress
J will not advance temperance, but in
t crease drunkenness. 1t will not i'm
/ prove the morals of the soldier. blu
9 make him more depraved, if che desire
I stimulants, by forcing him to mingl
with the inmates of the low dives an,
brothels to obtain what the thinks b
IS has a right to have If he wants it. -