Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-01-19
THE CLUB ROOM.

The congressman who do not indulge
in strong drink are members of this So
ciety, but they do no temperance work.
They never talk temperance. They
have an annual meeting in one of our
churches and deliver interesting tenn
perance talks, but they have no infu-
ence upon their fellow statesmen.
Their lives are beautiful, particularly
by contrast with the men around them,
but they are purely negative instead of
positive in temperance work. Their So
ciety ought to be REINFORCED by tenn
perance workers of other organizations
in order that real reform might ensue.
1t must not be inferred that all of our
congressman are hard drinkers, or that
they are likely to become drunkards.
On the contrary, the drinking habit is
not so bad as it used to be. This is be-
cause of the growth of sentiment
throughout the land against the bury
ing of talents in this manner. It is not
because of any inherent growth Of the
reform sentiment among the men IN
public life themselves.
While there is less open conviviality,
however, there is too much secret
drinking, particularly in committee
IOOILS. anu DIT Tic hOtc1S lAS
early hours of the night. Gambling is
carried on by lotteries, and drinking
goes with it. There is one hotel here
where congressman meet in comfort
able room at night. 1t is called the
''club ROOM" There is a colored waiter
assigned to that room and he is kept
busy travelling between the club room
and the bar, carrying wine to the states
man players.
During the last session of congress
there was a senator with splendid tai
ents, whose name is known far beyond
the limits of his own state, who was fire.
quently seen in the senate restaurant in
such a maudlin condition that he was
guided to committee room and placed
upon a sofa to sleep off the effects of
the alcoholic poison with which he had
stupefied himself. Often he was carried
to coupe and driven to his rooms, and
carried to his bed, like a dead man. and
physicians summoned to care for him.
In the Club room referred to there
was nightly seen a comparatively
young man whose talents are far above
the ordinary, who not only became an
inveterate gambler, but who drank to
excess. He played cards not merely for
pastime, as many do, but for the pur-
pose of winning money. And yet his
people believe him to be model of ex-
cellence, and have great hopes for his
future.
Some of these congressman have
method in their indnlgences. They
never meet a newspaper correspondent
without inviting him to the restaurant
to take a drink. In that manner they
expect to cultivate the good will of the
newspaper writer's, and get favorable
notices of themselves in the papers
One of the veteran correspondent is
says: Il have not taken a drink with
any congressman for more than ten
years; although L have not become
total abstainer. / used to accept invi-
tations of that kind. But found that
before noon of each day was incapaci-
tated for work; and I quit. Congress
men can't buy me up that way, nor can
they wreck me with strong drink"
When the people find that one OF
their representatives in whom they re-
pose confidence is not attending to his
business and his correspondence as
formerly, and when they ascertain that
he is not attending to his public duties
and making q name for himself, they
may accurately reach the conclusion
that he is burying his talents by daily
ing with the demon of the still. Their
conclusion will be unerringly correct
These brief statements do not tell
all of the truth, and yet they constitute
something of a sermon on the parable
of the talents. The plain people should
not permit their public servants to be
heve that they can live one life in Wash
ington and another life at their homes
Their talents should be at the service
of the people all of the time, unclouded
by the conditions and environments of
the national capital. SMITH D. FRx.