The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-06-25
PRESIDENTS AND BOOZE
often Have They Been Criticised for Serving 1t in
White House, But Few Have Ever Drank
Even Moderately.
word Of the

could understand a word Of the
others language.
mckinley Had the Reputation of Be-
ing a Very Heavy Smoker.
PRESIDENT Mckinley was, perhaps,
the heaviest smoker who ever sat in
tne White House, but he did not
drink much. The beverage that he
nJoyed most was beer, he did
not often indulge in that unless he
had passed through a strenuous DAYS
work. He did, however, serve wine
n other liquors to his guests. AL
sorts OF attacks were made upon
mckinley concerning the use Of liquor
at the White House, n one weekly
paper. which claimed to be the
national organ Of the prohibition
party, undertook a campaign against
him. The entire liquor agitation
took such shape just before the 1890
convention when Mckinley was re-
nominated that Senator Mark Hanna
IOund II necessary to interfere.
The q~uadrennial conference of the
Methodist church was about to be
held in Chicago and certain jealous
prohlbltlOnlStS in that denomination
prepared a set of resolutions con-
demning the president for permitting
wine to be used at his table. Sena-
~ 80 "a oboul IIlSl1 li<lIS
and set to work to prevent the sub
ject from being discussed at the con
terence. He sent the Rev. Marion
W. Hissey, of GAINESVILLE, O., to Chica-
go, and the latter persuaded the au-
thor Of the resolution and his friends
to drop the matter. President Nc
Kinley was a member of the Metho-
dist church himself.
Vice President Fairbanks was less
/ fnrft,nofn ho~ hE.I|i-J L., - 5000 ~;-
the censure Of the Methodists. AT
) a luncheon given him in Indianapolis
in n Of President Roosevelt Mr..
Fairbanks caused cocktails to be
served and the Fairbanks cocktail
Immediately became a national issue
among the total abstainers. So Sc
riously was the incident taken by
temperance people hat it resulted
in the defeat Of Mr.. Fairbanks as {
delegate to the Methodist quadrennia
; conference in 1907, although he wa.
a prominent layman in that church
Two Years before that the ALE
eheny County tPa.) W. c. T. L. triet
:. to make an issue out Of the fact tina
sixty bottles Of beer had been deliv
: cred to President Roosevelt at tn
! White House by a brewers ~aSsOcia
much publicity.
How Liquor Was Used in the Whit
, House Under Grover Cleveland.
= President Cleveland used liQuo
{ when he saw fit, and also served
, at the White House. He did not es
: cape criticism at the hands of tn
, temperance people, but he exercise
u his privilege as an American citiZe
: to entertain his guests az he chose
u President Harrison likewise use
liquor, and served it at the ~executiv
. mansion. Chester "A. Arthur wa
l known as one Of the most lavish Ell
: te~rtainers who ever sat in the Whit
I House, and always served vim t
! his guests. He also used it himsel
0 President Garfield was anothe
c executive who was at one time bitter
: ~ attacked because he permltte
e liquor to be used at the White Hous'
II He was considered a moderate drinf
y er himself, although a pretty heaN
u snoke Garfield had scarcely begu
his short term as president When
# committee Of temperance Womc
re called at the White Hous TO int
te view him. Their object was to St
re cure from him a promise that du5
as ing his ~incuTnbency Of the preside
Y. tial office he would permit no il
n toxicating beverages to be served
at the White House. The spokesWoma
~ stated their errand, and two or thr'
It, Of her associates supplemented h
i remarks with fervid appeals. Pres
r Garfield listened c~OurteOuSiy, al
W at the conclusion of the speech
tie gently and plainly reminded his ca
N ers that the White House was Il
it home Of Mr.. and Mrs. Garfield, al
thai its management WOULD have
or be left to their discretion. The wo!
en- retired. and Mr.. Garfield pr
ST ceeded to regulate his establshlne
lis in his own way.
Sc His predecessor, President Hay
was a total absta1ner from liquor. a
C Mrs. Hayes was a m OF [
Woman's Christian Temperance Z
a ion. During their OF t
White House no wines or liquors we
rer ever served there.
he ~
ed WATER WIT.
ey He thought that he was great alto