Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-08
FAVOR THE CANTEEh
Likely to Be Brought Up at
Coming Encampment.
GRAND ARMY OF REPUBLIC
Views of Corporal Tanner Generally
Endorsed.
CONGRESS MAY BE CENSURED
By Resolution as Intimating That the
Old Soldiers Cannot Take
Care of Himself.

Of the G. A. R. by large majority indorse
the utterances of Corporal Tanner, COM
mander-in chief, that the passage by Con-
gress of an act abolishing canteens from
national soldiers homes after next March
was unwise and blow at real temperance,
besides restriction of the personal liber-
ties of the veterans of the civil war, that
ought to be resented.
A number of prominent officials Of the
organization have written Corporal Tan
ner 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 de-
handing that the old soldier be treated as
able to care for himself will bring on hot
fight, as there are number of officials who
will approve the work of Congress.
After the interview with Commander-in-
Chief Tanner appeared in the newspapers
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 approval of the attitude of the COM
mander-in chief, five favor the abolition Of
the canteen and five are non committal.
P. Fl. Coney's Views.
One of the leading candidates for COM
mander-in-chief at the Minneapolis conven-
ton is P. H. Coney commander of the De-
partment of Kansas He writes that he
concurs In the position taken by Corporal
Tanner. He says: My close observation
and experience in protecting the members
of our national military home for disabled
volunteer soldiers at Leavenworth, Kan,
gives me clearer knowledge of the benefits
and abuses of the canteen than many who
have not been in as close observation of the
effect to protect the members of that home
against outside debauchery beyond the lin
its and control of the home, places where
the VileSt of intoXicantS were sold to men,
bers of the home. These demoralizing and
Understanding places were inspired on &C
count of the patronage that might be OBJ
tanned from members of the home, who
squandered their resources and because of
tie to destroy such places. We found that
these places offered extra inducements to
members of the home to visit them, and
waylaid them. We have strong law in the
state of Kansas that makes it a misde.
meanor to sell Supplying or Intoxicating
drinks to members of the home, but this
law, like our prohibitory law, is disregarded
and violated by the lawless element.
THE members of the homes are generally
aged men who have formed habits that
are practically their second nature. Many
of them in their weakness and frailty re-
quire a little alcoholic stinulants, which Is
prescribed and recommended by their ply
sicians. and to be denied it would shorten
their days. If the canteen Is abolished these
men will find this liquor outside of the
home and obtain the vilest of decoctions, in
stead Of the purest beverages or stimu-
lants. They cannot be prevented from do
ing this even by expelling from the homes.
/ don't take this position because desire
to encourage the use OF stimulantS In any
form, but because l believe it Is practical
to deal with conditions that we can not
entirely abrogate.'
Extreme Folly and Absolutely Crimi-
nal.
DIR. Hugo Philler of Waukesha, Wis, has
written a strong letter on the question, one
to Corporal Tanner, as well as one for
publication. II consider the abolition of
the army canteen extreme folly, and the
abolition of the conteens at the national
soldiers homes as absolutely criminal, prac-
tically forcing the disabled veterans into
dangerous and disreputable surroundings.
Action by the national encampment on this
subject might tend to the promotion Of
sanity in legislation in such matters in the
future"
l. H. Burt. assistant adjutant general Of
the Department of Colorado and Wyoming,
says that the position of Corporal Tan
ner is most heartily Endorsed by him. He
says: 1T is shame to treat a man in
such a manner. 1t makes the soldier of the
regular army feel, and many times act, like
culprit. His manhood is taken aawy and
he loses all self-respect thereby.
A. ]. Tharp, assistant adjutant general of
Kentucky, says it sis out of reason and de-
mands the condemnation of every COM
rade in the land and by all the friends of
the old soldier
]. w. Canes, department commander of
Wisconsin, at Fox Lake, writes that he
favors the canteen.
Charles A. Partridge, assistant adjutant
general of Illinois, takes the opposite view.
He does not believe that a canteen is pro-
ductive of good, and rejoices that the can
teen has been "cut out"
From Indian Territory.
]. F. Ayars, department commander of
the Indian Territory, talks interestingly.
He sums It up this way: II lived several
years at Junction City. Kan, three miles
from Fort Riley. A part of the time they
operated the canteen system at that fort.
During that time 1t was a rare sight to
see a drunken soldier on the streets at
Junction City, but when the canteen was
abolished the town was full of drunken
soldiers. which was constant annoyance
to the city authorities, as well officers
at the fort. This convinced me that the
sale Of beer and light drinks at a military
post was one advancing step toward tenn
perance, morality and sobriety. The act of
Congress will not advance temperance but
increase drunkenness. 1t will not improve
the morals of the soldier, but make him
more depraved, if he desires stimulants,
by forcing him to mingle with the inmates
of the low dives and brothels to obtain
what he thinks he has a right to have II
he wants It," He says nothing is too good
for the old soldier, and Congress cannot re-
member their services if it sees fit to die
tate their modes of living, and what they
shall drink or eat.
A. j. Fisk department commander of
Montana: Il have always been an advo-
cate of the canteen for the army and the
privilege of one at a soldiers home IL de-
sired. l am believer in temperance The
canteen vastly assists temperance Sta
ustics prove it. Practical army men advo-
cate 1t. When prohibitionists fight the
canteen they are simply pouring oil on the
running gear of doggeries, dives and disso-
Lutte resorts. If the matter is brought up in
proper form, in the national encampment I
am of the opinion that there will be a prac-
tically unanimous sentiment in favor of
the canteen."
Opinion Of Louisiana Man.
M. A. c. Hussey, assistant adtutant gen.
eral of Louisiana, says that lat the time
Congress legislated the army canteen out
of existence experienced ones thought II a
mistake. and the practical test has proven
that it was This is one of the cases where
theory and practice do not work in har-
mony. 1t has resulted in shutting off the
canteen spigot and opening the saloon
bunghole. and in the change the soldier gets