New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-07
NOT H4B(TTILLT DRtNh.

The closing week Of Congress was most APP
propriatell occupied with species oil miro
spection and denomination The House
wanted 10 know whether it had indeed become
disgraced by the drunkenness ana persistent
bad habits of members. and with due Solehlii!
appointcd a committee 10 investigate the mat
ter. # is unfortunately the fact that such
self-eyaminaticn rarely settles anything.
ccnsoiious public is prone to believe that II"
committee would venture to report 10 the House
that il was a dsgraced and drunken body even
if that were the truth. The member who pub
lished charges against the conduct oil Inc HOUSE,
belonged to the Farmers Alliance. and was not
regarded with fond affection by the members
of either Of the great parties. II was I" be
expected that he would get ccnSurcd ana tha'
the House would decide that it had been sober
and decent But public opinion l. likely l"
receive the natural verdict of eXculntlon with
some incrcduity.
Under the circumstances. the House. - i
whole can hardly do Ju>tc" ~ lt'cll. II N'aA"N
in need Of a certificate Of character from some
BODY. and really deserves more favorable
estimate than il j. likely to receive The truth
is that this House has mertcd much CcnSurc.
but it has not been habitually intoxicated. II
has been turbulent unruly. lazy and abSurdIy
incompetent, but not because il was in liquor.
Most of lis members have been conspicuous!
unfit for their positions but not because they
were ordinarily obfuscated with strong drink.
The testimony given before the committee Is
in that respect substantially correct. Now and
then a member has appeared on the iioor III
condition not creditabc TO him o. the House.
but those who have made the most trouble were
crazy with craftsmanship or selfish ambition and
greed but not with rum.
The fact is that the wolkingmcn Of Congress
are not rs a rule. hard drinkers or prone 10
the excessive Use of stiniIlants. In every such
body Of over 300 members there are usually
some whose habits unfit them fer important
trusts They are never the majority. When
constituents send such men u Congress they
may be quite sure that the atmosphere OF the
Capitol is not favorable to total abstinence. and
the man Of loose habits is sure 10 be tempted
more frequently, and to find self control more
difficult there than at his home. But the men
who conduct themselves crcdiably and deccntly
at home. aS Il rule do the same AT Washington.
and since they have reputa1ion> to lose. are
not apt to go to the House in an unfit state
There has been far too much disposition to
believe the worst Of the personal habits and
character of public men. The people do not
reflect credit upon themselves when they take
il for granted that every SANDER against their
Representatives and officials must be founded
in fact and that all public men are either
knaveS or prongaes. There are not many con
stituenceS in the country which are likely 10
choose a drunk ard OF a man of known dshon-
esty aS a Representative. Those who know
Washington at all are aware that most of the
public servants, In Congress and in the depart
ments, whether of one party or Of the other,
are hard working and honest men, who try to
to do their duty as they understand II.
There is reason to doubt whether the officials
of any other Government on earth are on the
whole more faithful or more worthy OF rcspOn-
sibc trust than the officials Of the United States
Government There is Il wide difference be
tween parties, it is true, in patriotic spirit in
beliefs, in capacity and intelligence, and in
moral tone also. But the men who labor to
direct legislation in a Democratic House have
80 grave and difficult task that they may well
keep sober, and work hard night and day, a.
most of them do. for even then their best en-
dCavors generally end in dismal failure.