Arizona republican., 1907-10-17

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 teen fight in congress he must recall that the liquor dealers lobby in Wash ington supported the movement for the abolition of the canteen. We do not mean that they worked side by side with the noble women who opposed the canteen but there was at the time no ployed their influence with congress men beyond the reach of the temper ance people, for the abolition of the canteen. They had a selfish interest in doing so for the canteen system af- forded little or no market for liquor while the dealers knew. what has since came to pass. that with the abolition of the canteen, the army posts would be quickly fringed with low dives through which large quantities of vile liquor would be consumed.
 The canteens dispensed under re- strictions only beer and light wines. but the beer consumed in them was of small volume compared with that swilled by soldiers in the outlying 6oggeries.
 The selfish activity of the liquor and brewing interests in the movement against the canteens does not detract from the high and noble purpose of the temperance people who sought the nhianr Wa cessful but i'll assorted endeavor only to prove to Mir. Baldwin that he has erred in supposing that the liquor in terests have in any way influenced the policy of The Republican on the can teen question. The arguments which this paper had advanced are the ar guments of an overwhelming majority of army officers who have intelligent ly observed and studied the effect of the abolition of the canteen and who may be presumed to desire that among soldiers shall be reduced to the minimum if it may not be abolished.
 We remember that some years ago a reader of The Republican criticising one of its canteen editorials. granted for the sake Of argument that the abolition of the canteen resulted in an tions. But what of it?" added the critic. Our government Jthus washes its hands of participation in the liquor traffic" That is, if the government cannot keep the soldiers from drink ing, it should not attempt to restrict or reduce drunkenness by assuming control over their appetites.
 IL is this spirit of intolerance, this blind and uncompromising attitude which has retarded the progress of the cause. The curse of alcohol is admitted by all and the time is coming when it will be greatly les sened if not wholly wiped out. That work is going on rapidly now. but the more jealous temperance workers are not contributing to it. The business l world is frowning upon liquor drink | ing, not because 1t is bad, but because ! It does not pay. For the same req son the South is extending its temper l ance area It is called prohibition | down there and it is a prohibition | which ''prohibits"-not the Maine Kansas kind. It was not brought | about by sO-called prohibitionists, but | oy the people themselves almost with | put the knowledge of the great tenn Derance societies. Whatever the per- | sonal ideas of the Southerners are and | many who have been foremost in this ! work are not temperance men, they | realize that the suppression of the IT, luor business Is essential to their | leace and safety. The success of | hat movement would have been i'm l periled by the same kind of intoler- ! ,nce which in the north has repelled | .he cooperation of thousands of moral q ind pious citizens.
 In emphasis of this statement we luote again as in our former edito-