The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-25
PIKE IS TlCKLED.
Low Dives Near LeaFenworth
Are Pleased Immensely.
Closing Of Soldiers Home Can
teen Suits Them.
GET PENSION MONEY.
Notorious 'sKIondyke" viii Rob
Veterans as of YOre.
GET PENSION MONEY.
Officers Favor Restricted Beer
Selling at the Home.

4edNe0WOrLn, KAN, June Z0.-Inc &C
ton of the senate in adopting an anti
Fcanteen measure will close the canteen
at the Soldiers home here. It was hop
ed by the Soldiers home officials that
the senate would refuse to follow the
action Of the lower house OF congress
which inserted an nanti-canteen provision
in the sundry civil bill on motion OF
Congressman Bowersock of Kansas.
After the house acted the officials Of
the. Soldiers home and others here ap-
pealed to Senator Warner and other
senators to use their influence to see
that the Bowersock amendment was
stricken out when the bill reached the
senate. It was believed this would be
done.
The officials of other Soldiers homes,
and, it is reported, the members of the
board of managers were working to
prevent the abolition Of the canteen.
The annual contract for the supply OF
beer for the canteen here was to be
awarded a week ago, the day after the
house voted in favor of Bowersocks
anti-canteen amendment.
The officials did not let the contract
at that time, but It IS said awarded It
this week resting largely on assurances
from Washington that the senate would
not concur in the anti-canteen pro-
gramme.
Cooke Favors Canteen.
Colonel Sidney G. Cooke. governor of
the Soldiers home. is strongly in favor
of maintaining the canteen. He was
surprised al the quick action taken to
diers' home officials are all in favor of
continuing the canteen, but refuse to
make a public statement.
Only beer and soft" drinks are sold
at the canteen. None except members
of the home can purchase at the can
teen. Large IS ounce glasses of beer
are sold for five cents and a light
luncheon is furnished when so desired.
The canteen is run under the strictest
regula tlons and no veteran is sold
enough to permit him to become intoxi-
Gated. All beer must be drunk at the
canteen and cannot be carried to the
barracks or outside of the building.
The beer han opens one hour after
breakfast and is closed one hour at
noon. At supper time 1t is closed
again. After supper it is opened
short time and closes for the night at
Z O'Clock. This arrangement does not
interfere with meals and removes the
temptation OF veterans to eat at meal
time in the canteen. Tobacco. fruits,
writing material and other small ar
ttcles which veterans may desire are
also sold in the -eanteen.
A Large Benefit.
The eanteen returns a profit of more
than $1,000 a month and ranges from
$4,000 to $4,000 a year. The canteen
profits go into what is termed the
amusement fund. The money is used
TO pay the musicians for the band, to
purchase books and papers for the
library, to secure good troupes to play
at the opera house, where all veterans
are admitted free; for lectures and
baseball games. Veterans are fond of
baseball and have a park fitted up
from the canteen fund.
Without the money derived as
profits from the canteen there viii be
very little to amuse and change the
monotony Of the daily routine life at
the home.
The officials OF the home have ar
ranged to have fireworks display for
July 4, the expenses to be paid from
the canteen fund. A diversion Of this
kind is very popular with veterans and
many Of them with grandchildren and
young relatives living adjacent have
written for them to come for a visit
July 4. With the closing OF the can
teen the celebration may have to be
abandoned.
There is one element that viii re-
ioice in the closing of the Soldiers
home canteen. It is the jointkeeper
This class expects to get the money
and profit of the veterans canteen. OF
late the notorious 'Klondyke" and
pike" joints have been practically
abandoned. Low dives viii be estab-
lished again and veterans robbed of
their pension money and murdered as
in the past. Tt is feared by the Sol
diers' home officials and others that
drunkenness will be greatly increased
by the adjustment of the canteen.