The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-12-22
man VIII have to decide It Tor Himself I'M

man Will have TO decide ft Tor himself. LII
there is one fact worthy of mention in this
connection. Itisthat, Notwithstanding the
freedom with which liquor Is sold to all
corners, there Is practically no drunkenness
about the capitol.
In eight years of pretty constant at
tendance upon the sessions of congress
can remember seeing only half a dozen
persons conspicuously under the infiu-
ence OF drink, and these were all sena-
TORS or representatives. Inasmuch as men,
pers OF congress all have either committee
OF private rooms in the capitol in which
they may--and some of them do-keep rs
much liquor as they desire, and in which
iuncheons are often served, / cannot see
that prohibition of liquor selling at the
restaurants is going to effect much reform
I'D This direction. 1t would probably in.
crease the number of orders given for lunch.
cons In committee rooms, and the result
might be still more disastrous
1hese committee room luricheons are ne
RUE, very demoralizing. Now and then
we near OF one which units half n dozen or
a uozen public men for their duties during
.he remainder of the day. Human nature
IS pretty much the same In high or low
piaces, ana II men cannot guzzlea little in
pubic way and can drink to their hearts,
content ID the privacy of their committee
rooms, the odds are they will take the IL
cense ana run away with It, A senator of
many years experience once sal TO me that
he never, never accepted invitations to
committee room luncheons II used IN do
~ ne AIDED, but experience has taught
~, ,no "isuon. They are great demoraIjzers
We get started, and the host seems To tbint
ne is not doing his duty unless he adds
oo'eie arter bottle TO the menu. and the
guests are afraid they will be tbouobt in
appreclatlve and boorish if they do not do
tuiI Justice to the board, and pretty soon
.nere we are. Oh, have tried it and know
for me-" '0'i" sproaus
growing Temperance Sentiment.
IL Is pleasure tn record the fact tho. |
there IS very much less drinking abont tha
Gapitoi than there was in the old davs
Even In the eight years that / have bcor
IN washington can notice an imnrove-
neht In this respect 1t is no longer The
iashlon to be convivial. Public men and
.nose who work with and associate ,y;tI
tnem' such as clerks, newspaper men ana
o1ners' quickly learn the lesson that dript
anu work do not 30 together. Those who
uo urlnk little are exceedingly moderate
aoous IT, Rarely does one see senator or
member take more. than single cocktail
or bottle OF beer with his lunch. Tho
mar who goes about the senate chop,ha.
or ,no hall of the house smelling of li,nor
VIII lose caste right away. The old babits
~ having good times In congress, of max
ing public life perpetual p,on,c. hano
happily Como. ''0' nave
=. ms insist, Is true not only of the capitol and
Us haoitues, but of Washington life g., \
general There Is not as mncb drI,t,.
,ere now among public men as there way
I've years ago. There was less then than
l,e years earlier. Drunkenness ie IN ro,r
cen, and in any congress the men who
Win ,, .ho anelr love for liquor to Interfere
t ho ~ tneir usefulness can be counted mon
ne fingers Of ones two hands. hpua
, ,so as great many men new to public
ne ana have observed how thew op,oLi',
ercere that the Washington of reaIitv !.