Show i EUNSTON ON CANTEENS > BB General Shows Effect of Abolition Post Exchange MANY SOLDIERS RUINED iJ JDlBcipIine of the Army He Says Has Been Lowered Because Saloons of the Lowest Type Have Been Established Es-tablished Just Outside Boundaries of Various Reservations The Proprietors Pro-prietors of Theso Dives Unprin i icipled Scoundrels Who Leave Nothing Noth-ing Undone to Debauch Soldiers J I 1 I Washington Sept jBrlrrGpn 1 jFrcdcrlpU Funston In his annual re I JlOll for the I Department of the Colorado 1 Colo-rado points out that the percenlogt of 1 rinls by courtmartial of onlhUcd r 1J1en has nearly doubled during tho past J > ear He nays It Is therefore plain that there hUH been a drplorablo Increase of offenses In encril and of desertion In particular Ian my opinion there art two prlnclpil 1 c uses for this state nf affairs First hcacntment of unaccustomed limitations and restrictions foil by mCn returning i from field sorvlco to thC monotony and 1 routine work of garrison life second the abolition of the canloon feature of thc lost exchansf LOW SALOONS ESTABLISHED Since this action xvas taken saloons iVjf tho loxvest typo have been ostab ishcd Just outside the t boundaries of the various rcgnrxaUons their pro 1 Pprietors in almost every case unprincipled unprin-cipled scoundrels who leave nothing un done to debauch the soldiers and obtain their money Bring in nil cases outside the limits of any city the proprietors 1 of these resorts are subject to no mti nlClpal police regulations and sell IJIquor icgardless of hours and whether the buyer Is already intoxicated or not Gambling 19 universal in these dives and they are frequented by dlssoluvv romcn romcnLOSES I LOSES ALL HIS MONEY The soldier whose desire for a drink fjwonld ordinarily be satisfied by a few 1 pglasscs of beer in the canteen of the Most exchange goes to ono of tjjiefie I ret J t Gorts and does well if ho escapes before Rhe has spent or gambled away nil hiD money oVeratnycd his leave or engaged Mn an altcrratlon FSEVJSR13 ON CIVIL AUTHORITIES As a rule the local authorities regard i The existence of these Places with In I dIfference or approval as it caures the fsoldlcr to spend his money In the rom iinunity The clTlciency of the nrmy or the ruin of a good soldier Is nothing to themTRACEABLE TRACEABLE TQ ONE CAUSE There cun be no reasonable doubt that most of the trials by general ieourtsmartlal find summary courts at least so fur as this department Is concerned are directly traceable to this cause Since I have had command here there has taken place the ruin and degradation of several noncommissioned noncom-missioned officers of lone service and fine record EFFECT OF LEGISLATION In short the recent legislation by Congress on this question so far aa this department Is concerned has had prrO effect except to lower the discipline of the army ruin scores of good soldiers sol-diers HI the pockets of a lot of saloonkeepers saloon-keepers gamblers and prostitutes mATER SUPPLY CAUSES CONCERN CON-CERN The water supply at a number of UJjostB In the Department of the Colo prado the report says has caused great conc rl f Gen Funuton suys the controversy between the city cc Cheyenne Wye kand the authorities of Fort D A Rusted Rus-ted regarding certain wutcr rights has reached a stage xvhch renders It no fc ssary for the Governments rights to be ascertained or the post abandoned j Considerable trouble han been had at ttFort Grant Ariz on account of the T water supply On account of the establishment of Itother forts and the completion 0 the railroad to the San Carlos agency Gent Gen-t iFunaton recommends that Fort Grant fie abandoned PROPOSED POST Regarding the proposed construction fof a post at Albuquerque N M 1 I Gent Gen-t KFunston recommends that u board he fappolnted to visit the place and also Las Vegas and Santa Fe and observe carefully the question of water supply climate etc before action be taken Las Vegas will donate 110000 acres near fa limitless supply of water If a post la located there E The Inspectorgeneral of the depart mont reports that as a general rule lhe quarters and barracks are not in u good condition |