The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-07-31
TIE MISTAKE OF MR.. WATSON.

1t may be assumed that no intelligent
person will believe the assertion of Rep
resentative Watson, of Georgia, to the
effect that it is common occurrence for
drunken members to reel through the
aisles of the House and to address the
Chair in maudlin condition. There
are probably few members who should
be sent to asylums where the drink habit
can be cured, but the number is very
small, even in this most remarkable
House. Nor is it true that correspond
ents have time and again called atten-
ton to the diseraceful inebriation of
members of the House. since they
have done nothing of the sort. Mr..
Watson is young man who has
permitted his imagination tooverrun all
the other senses with which mankind in
general is supposed to be endowed. He
sees with his imagination, and by that
remarkable faculty his fancies material
ize into facts. Moreover, Mr.. Watson
has drawn down upon himself the bitter
hostility of a Democracy which does not
tolerate difference of opinion in poll
tics. He is fighting about the whole po-
litical machine in Georgia, and it has
started out to crush him. He is fighting
for life against great odds. He is try
ing to discredit the Democracy in the
eyes of the farmers of Georgia, who
have become very hostile to the
liquor traffic. When Mr.. Watson is
called to testify, he will probably
not name a man who ''has reeled
along the aisles and addressed the
Chair in maudlin condition"
If he should name every one who had
done so either once or twice during the
session, the list would not exceed dozen
names, which, considering the sort of
House it is, is a small part of $50 men,
bers. One elderly member from the
South, who was to make an exhaust
i've speech, is reported to have become
incOherent while speaking. That is the
only case that has been brought to the
notice of the country, and that was
rather an accident than the result of ha-
bitual drunkenness. AS matter of fact,
the evil of drunkenness has greatly de-
creased in Congress, as it has through
out the country during the past twenty
five years. Public sentiment is against
it, and, outside the large cities and ex-
cept on special occasions, the
drink habit has fallen off in so
marked a degree that the fact
Ia a matter of peperal com n,ent hy older
men. This is particularly the case out
side the cities. Intemperance is re-
garded as great drawback In the indi-
vidual. Corporations will not employ
incorporate men. Merchants will not
retain men to travel about the country
who are the victims of the drink habit.
Men who aspire to all desirable and
commanding positions in trade, trans
portation and production must be men of
habitual sobriety. Thus the industrial
and commercial interests of the country
practically enforce the virtue of So
briefly. Even where society is so lax as
to tolerate habitual or periodical drunk
enness in the individual, it regards the
failing as an unfortunate vice to be ex-
planned and excused. More and more,
as time passes, drunkenness is regarded
as danger and a disgrace. Such q
growing and positive public sentiment
cannot fail to have an influence upon
such an abnormal collection of men as
constitute the majority of the present
House.