Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-08-27
The Canfeen
Question

Editor Albuquerque Morning Journal.
Dear Sir: Thus far In my acquaint-
ance with the Journal am its editor
and management, | have been treated
with undertaking fairness, and IN the
publication of a paper in the interest
Of what is considered rattle an I'M
popular subject. CThough Jet me re-
mind you that the very best states
men OF the south are rushing for this
same unpopular" band Wagon.)
From the business nag to fore
man., and to the expert printer who
handles the mechanical work Of the
southwestern issue" all have helped
10 make my work easier.
For this reason / venture to give
you some facts in regard 90 a much
disputed question, hoping that for
once al least you will vary the al
most i%nvariable rule Of the daily
press. and publish the other side Of
the story.
In your issue of this morning CAu-
gust 26) you publish In your editorial
columns an article headed as above,
which is most decidedly unfair to the
men and women who have been at
the front in this movement against the
army saloon. In this article you quote
the Washington Post, which you say
Is a very sane and careful paper"
and which saws: "The absurdity Of
the anti-canteen Legislation of a few
years ago which caused the closing Of
the army post establishment for the
sale of beer and light wines to sol
diers Is frequently attested Ina the Of
fetal reports etc, etc.
Now. MT. Editor, let us see. At the
time these reports We're gathered
there were $3.50 officers in the army.
OF these 4Tl reported In favor Of the
army saloon. and this II per cent Of
friends OF the saloon constitute the
almost unanimous opinion Of Off
GERS which the friends of the beer sa-
loon in the army claim favor its res
toration.
Farther your article says. These
reports disclose a disgraccful state OF
affairs in the immediate vicinity of
practically every military station in
this country" and then goes on to
show that this is all attributable to
the fact that the saloon is too far
away from the soldier. The tendency
Of such publications Is most perni-
cious. Such statements are sent out
In the interest OF the rum sellers Of
this country. | 10 not pretend to say
that they are published by you for
that purpose or with the knowledge,
but Just the same, they are the parrot
like repetition of articles published
first by the liquor papers Of this coun-
try. in an attempt to prove that
drunkenness Is m the increase in the
army because of the abolition OF the
army saloon. Here are the official
figures:
In l9OO-1,196 cases Of drunken
ness.
In 19Ol-1,127 cases of drunken.
ness
In 19o2-9Gs cases of drunkenness.
In 1903-S11 cases Of drunkenness.
In 1904-616 eases Of drunkenness.
In 1905-50S cases of drunkenness.
BUT If It were rue that drunken
ness Is on the increase i'm the army,
then in the language of the Nashville
Christian Advocate, we would say,
The sooner we get some new post
commanders the better for the army
and the country"
The records of the war department
show t,G45 courts martial for drunk
enness in 1900, aud 504 for 1905. Beer
was on tap In the cantecns In 1900,
ana was prohibited In 1906.
Again, TO quote tnot your article.
but a part of the same line of liquor
argument: They say. Practically all
the army officers favor the canteen,
Please examine the records ana re-
ports Of Generals Miles, Shatter.
wheeler, Doggett, Henry. Boynton,
Wilcox and Stanley, and Colonels
Durbin, Gunder and Glass, real sol
diers. every one. and that of Surgeon
General Sternberg. the man of all best
fitted 10 pass upon the question.
Your article closes with these
words. There are times hen II
would seem hat the chief opponents
Of the canteen were Tho manufactur-
ers and vendors Of int0Xicants. on,
say. MT. Journal. you don't mean such
IN. .s.F-A..UH IInN. IL the InEnII=
ton of the Detroit saloon Keepers
convention; Resolved, That the army
cantecn has accomplished more Tor
the morals and discipline of the army
than all other agencies combined
And this with $500 cF"rw stoned Of
ficcrs. and many thousand nou-com-
missioncd officers. Potter dismiss the
costly corps Of officers ANA turn inc
saloon loose In order To preserve
morals and discipline
Now. my. dear Journal, you did
strike one perfect chord, though m
that YOU do the enemies OF the can
teen an injustice. You say, IT car
nestly DESTROYS of keeping liquor from
the soldiers they should heartily en-
dorsc the recommendation TO cstab-
fish a gone of prohibition around each
military station why, YOU dear old
comradc. have you been asleep even
longer than your friend the Alma
uac?" Haven't you heard from Geor-
gia and cold Kaintuck, and Tonnes
see. and the C%arollnas, and Alabama
| and-oh. YOU dear old chump, we are
working for a zone of prohibition as
wide as the universe. as long az from
pole 10 pole, that shall eac from
Washington 10 thc uttcrmost parts OF
the earth. and In the name and by the
mower OF our God e Is coming but IN
the mean time to be practical, we
want to- give you h%oth-our hands, our
heart. aud an that in us rs for the