The Indianapolis journal., 1896-12-27
LITTLE DRINKING IN CONGRESS.
Facts as Observed by n Former Mama
ger of the Capitol Restaurant.
New York Sun

New York Sun.
Even though the Morse bill prohibiting
the sale of liquor i'm the national Capitol
should become law" said Thomas J.
Murrey, formerly manager Of the restau-
rant in the House of Representatives In
Washington, very little hardship would pa
experienced by the members of Congress.
AS a matter of fact. the only sufferers
would be very few bibulous officials. the
visitors and the loungers in or members of
the third house.
THE perennial agitation of the congress
sional liquor question and the many false
reports about the closing scenes in Con-
gress have caused "A great many people TO
imagine that the average national states
man is "A hard drinker. Ny four years in
the Capitol. as proprietor or the restaurant
in the House of Representatives. gave me
excellent opportunity for studying the
life. and ! can truthfully state that all the
stories about Congressman being hard
drinkers are absolutely false.
1T stands 10 reason that among a body OF
35S men from all over the Union there
should be a few who drank to excess. IL is
likely TO surprise most readers OF daily pa
pers TO learn. however that the hard
drinkers never numbered more than i've
during my four years observations. This
IS the more remarkable when we take into
consideration the many invitations and the
temptations to drink TO which Congressman
are subjected. The number OF steady
drinkers who INDUCED I'm from two 10 four
drinks day. and never showed the effects
of what they drank. numbered rarely more
than fifty. When there We're night ses-
sions or oro,onged exciting debates a much
larger number OF members would on such
occasions use stimulants: but they did not
make a daily practice Of doing so.
Notwithstanding that the Morse bill
passed the House by a vote OF l0i TO Z. I
believe there will always be liquor sold at
the Capitol and the care with which the
average Congressman looks after his repl-
tation will always hold In check any tip
ping proclivities he may bring to Congress
''The closing hours Of the Fifty-third Con-
gress have been pictured by a number OF
space writers as being a most debasfng
scene. in fact a saturnalia. Notwithstand-
ing the intense excitement. and the long
night and day session, there were only two
members of Congress who could be classed
under the head OF drunk and they did not
get their liquor in the restaurant, but in
committee rooms. Thinking that the res
taurant would be closed on that memora-
bic Sunday, March 3. 1885. parties interested
in various pet measures stocked certain
COMMITTEES rooms with liquor ana fooc:
These being free. the hangers-on proceeded
to load up quite extensively. the result be-
ing that there We're a number OF people
seen at the Capitol under the influence OF
the restaurant by the police stationed az
the doors. but they kicked up a great deal
of noise and one or two rows. causing
Strangers TO imagine they were OF some
importance and might be Congressmen-
"A lived-up-to rule preventing strangers
from The priyf eyes OF the restaurant. unless
accompanied by members. would quickly
nut an end TO all these stories about bfbu-
lous Congressman.
Mr. Morse cannot be blamed very much
for introducing the bill prohibiting the sale
OF liquor In the Capitol. for he has suffered
personally from the Baccf analian habits OF
one member Mr.. Mcrse went 10 Speaker
Reed and bitterly complained that he
unable 10 get his committee 10 meet or act
owing to the condition OF the chairman.
The Speaker told him that. should the COM
mittee be again called together for a busl-
ness meeting and the chairman fail TO APP
pear he (Mofse) should take the chair. call
the committee 10 order and continae as
chairman Of the committee