Arizona republican., 1899-07-27
Mines and MininQ

is unnecessary to follow the history CT
the ext few weeks. The national
dem crazy was completely disrupted
and put two tickets in the field. Lin
coin was elected president. and the
; country was plunged into a civil war
Had Johnson succeeded in inducing
The Georgia convention to adopt his
conservative ideas. it is safe to say
that other southern states would have
iallen in line with our commonwea lth,
and the national democratic party
would have remained united.
This is the story of what little
glass of wine did. 1t ruined great
party, caused u disastrous war and,
besides the loss of life, cost the south
over $4,000 100000 Perhaps this IS
rather speculative, but there are many
who believed it a generation ago.
There were statesmen IN the old
days who were heavy drinkers. Dan
lei Webster was one OF them.
When he spoke in Richmond, Mr..
Webster took several big drinks before
he went on the platform. 1t was plain
that he was under the influence OF
liquor. and the chairman of the COM
mittee went to him and suggested that
IL lie uIu AOL ISEI MCll LuG Speech
be postponed.
The godl:ke Daniel, as his admirers
called him, was never too drunk to fail
to take a hint He Strengthened him
self UP, and in his coolest, clearest
tones, informed the chairman th3t he
never felt better in his life
Ten minutes later the great expoun-
der of the constitution walked out on
the platform and delivered a grand
grafton. Not one of his hearers, out
side of the committee, suspected that
he had touched liquor that morning
OF course Webster had a remarka BILE
constitution. Both physically and
mentally ne was capable OF enduring
almost any strain or excess. + was
only in his old age that he became
somewhat maudlin IN his cups. Fin
ally the bottle killed him.
That peerless orator, Sargent S.
Prentiss OF Mississippi, for many years
seemed to be the master Of the bo@5le.
He drank heavily, but was always at
his best
Upon one OCCASION he went to
small town to speak, and the leaders
of the opposition party decided 10 gsG
Inn drunk before the hour for his
speech.
They invited him to a breakfast at
the hotel, and for two hours forty pol
iticians drank his health. and it was
necessary for him TO take enough w.ns
to Kill any ordinary man, although -
is hardly possible that he took glass
for glass with them.
The appointed hour came. The plat
form was built outside the dining room
and when the clock struck the forty
conspirators were under the table
snoozing away very comfortably.
Mr.. Prentiss calmly surveyed his
fallen opponents. and then, cool and
serene as a May morning, stepped
through the window to the platform,
and made one Of the besl speeches OF
his life.
He died in his prime, physical
wreck
Andrew Johnson was generally able
to take care OF himself when he was
drinking, but ne once Overstepped the
limit When he was inaugurated at
Washington he got hold of a bottle in
an Office in the capitol, and the mo-
ment he began his speech his hearers
saw that ne was disgracefully full
Instead of delivering a digniIi,sd ad-
claimed that he was a plebeian This
statement he repeated a number of
times, until sven his friends were dis
gusted.
AS rule, however, Mr.. Johnson was
able to swallow a quart OF whiskey and
conduct himself 50 decoTously that
very few suspected that he was under
the influence of anything worse than
a very high iemper
The old English statesmen were
more Incorporate than ours. Many of
them were practically drunk from the
cradle to the grave. Even Burke. who
drank nothing stronger than hot W.
ter, once said: Sherry for boys. port
for men and brandy for heroesi'
How customs and men have changed.
The average statesman of today couT IS
the Temperance vote He is rarely
ever seen in a saloon, unless he sneaks
in at the back door. For moral, phys
zeal, social and business reasons he
makes it a point to keep sober.
The bottle is still a power. but it is
losing round. 1t will always be felt
to some extent n politics. but its ag-
gressive. dominant rule is a thing Of
the past This man of today who de
sires to rise in public life mus have
a clear head. and that means that ne
must not be TOO familiar with the bot
tle.-Memphis Commercial Appeal.
IN THE DARK.
Young man" cried the rate parent,