The Pensacola journal., 1920-03-07
BOOZE ORDERED
out YEARS AGO
Death Warrant of Barleycorn
Was Signed Twenty Years
Before Country Went Dry
HISTORY is INTERESTING
Old Army Canteens Provided
Funds for Company Mess and
Were General Rendezvous
BY GEORGE n. MANNING.

Washington, d. c., Mar 6.-Officers
of the army are eongratulating them
selves upon the fact that the Amer
lean army signed the death warrant
of John Barleycorn" twenty years
before the country became totally dry.
Liquor was part of the army ration
up to the early part of the Civil war.
The sale of wine and beer was per-
mitted at the army ''canteens' until
1901 when Congress legisiated them
out of business.
An interesting review OF the army
career of John Barleycorn given by
Colonel John s. Chambers, chief OF
the personnel division, officer of the
quartermaster general, a man of long
experience in the army, reads as fol-
lows:
The passing of John Barleyco,1i"
from the service nearly twenty years
ago, brings to mind the fact that the
United States army was many years
ahead OF the country at large in abol-
ishing strong drink. Liquor was a part
of the army ration up to the early
part of the Civil war. In 1863 how
ever, due to the restricted supply
available. only one gill per man daily
was authorized for issue in cases OF
excessive fatigue or severe exposure.
After the close of the Civil war the
issue of liquor as part Of the ration
was abolished by the failure TO include
it's provision in the appropriations for
subsistence of the army.
The history of the career of liquor
in the army is so intimately connected
@y.
change that the two must be con-
sidered together. In 1862, Congress
passed a law which directed the In
spector General OF the army 10 pre-
pare list of articles to be sold By
suffers TO officers and soldiers of the
volunteer service. These included all
articles of ordinary merchandise, but
prohibited the sale of Intoxicating
liquors. After the Civil war when
the army was scattered mostly at
isolated posts throughout what was
then the Great West" the vicinity
of army posts became cluttered with
saloons. gambling joints, and various
institutions OF this character. all max
ing an effort to separate the soldier
from his pay.
To remedy this situation. Congress
in 1870. authorized the Secretary of
War TO permit one or more trading es-
Establishments TO be maintained at any
military post on the frontier, and pro-
vided that these persons should be
appointed by the Secretary of War
and would be under the protection and
military control of the Commanding
Officer as camp followers" There
seems to have grown up a custom of
their selling light wines and beers
which were not considered intoxicat-
ing in the then Interpretation of the
term. This was their chief source
of revenue, as about 1866 an enter
prising Commissary General had taken
the larger part of their work In sup
plying ordinary articles of merchan-
disc. This was the real beginning OF
our post commissaries. The name of
these post suffers was gradually
changed to the name of post trader
anr all other traders were prohibited
from doing business on the military
reservation.
Orders were issued in 1889 author
izing the establishing of military can
teens where there were no post
traders. The sale or use of ardent
spirits in the canteen was strictly pro-
hibited. but light wines and beer were
authorized TO be sold therein. by the
drink. on week days and in a room
used for no other purpose whenever
the Commanding Officer was satisfied
that the giving to the men the oppor-
tunity Of such beverages within the
post limits had the effect of prevent
ing them from resorting for strong
intoxicants to places without such
limits ard tended to promote tenn
perance and discipline among them.
It IS stated that the practice Of what
is known as Treating" should be dis
couraged under all circumstances.
The profit Of army canteens were
large and the company and troop
funds OF the organizations ran into
hundreds OF dollars. and in some cases.
thousands The light wine and beer
feature became the principal source
of business TO the caateen because
practically all other articles needeS