The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-24
Spirit of the Press.
Drunkenness in Public Life.
Presbyterian Standard.

Drunkenness in Public Life.
Presbyterian Standard.
The Standard adverted recently to
the fact that the newspaper profess
sion had long obeyed the unwritten
law that drunkenness and other
kindred animal vices in public men
were not TO be published to the world
but that the men themselves should
rather be shielded by the charity of
silence. But public opinion has been
changed so rapidly on this subject
that we may as we'll consider the UNI
written law repealed. A few days ago
Mayor Woodward. of Atlanta. in a
public discussion before the mayors
of American cities, disgraced himself
and the city of which ne was the.
official representative, by disgusting
display of intoXication.
The newspapers promptly took up
the matter and We're mercilesS III their
criticisms, the Northern press first,
then the Southern, including the At
lanta press. 1t seems that Mayor
Woodward is 9 notorious drunkard
and has been near Impeachment be-
fore now. 1t seems hardly possible
after this that he can expect to be
elected to public office again.
The other day Senator Overman
in a public address made the remark
that no one could be elected to Con-
gress from North Carolina or to the
bench who was a drinking man. That
is accepted as simple truth. The peo-
pie are requiring of their public SER
wants that they should have sober
brains for the transaction of the pub
lie business. And the Newspapers,
also public servants, are feeling now
that # is their duty to the people
whom they serve to forewarn them
against electing drunkards to office.
When we compare the old times with
1 the new fn this regard there has been
an immense change for the better. We
should lose al our reverence fop some
of the most notable public men of the
past If we should measure them by
our present standards as regards
! drunkenness and its allied forms of
vice
We might not have to go SO very
far back when drunkenness even in
the ministry was a venial offense.
+ One OF the grievances which the
, colonies had against the mother coun-
| try on the score of religion was the
! fact that too many of the younger
sons OF the old British families were
given "livingS" in America and that
their lives were those of rollicking,
boistering squireS rather than those
! of the gospel ministry But that age
has passed away. The tutors and
4 COlIeEe DIOleSSOTS OF Il FORMER time
were inclined to drunkenness and now
/ a spree would be a cause for summary
! dismissal from any school or college I'm
, the land. The business and profess
sional world has learned the same
+ lesson The employer has no long
/ er patience with a drunken employe
In some circumstances like the work
of the engineer on the train, drunk
enness is near akin to crime. 1t
would seem that the man who cor
rupts his brain with Strong drink Is
about to be crowded off the earth it
self, wherever there is any competi-
ton for his place.
And with the unrebuked repeal of
the old unwritten law that public men
| should be shielded from public knowl-
edge of their private lives, the threat
hangs over the drunkard's career and
the inducement. ray the necessity for
: Keeping ones brain in good repair.
Publicity, once invoked may do what
IT has done in other cases and cure the
evil. certainly those who have any
thing to lose by 1.-The exposure and
practically prevent men from ever
forming the habit even presentir.7
powerful inducements to those under
the dominion of the drink habit to
break off their chains. If so. pub
licfty with all it has accomplished i'm
the way of the reformation of individ-
uais and of States, will never have
done more beneficent work