. As a matter of business, too, I
take for my lieutenants in my district men who don't drink. I tried the
other kind for several years, but it didn't pay. They cost too much. For
instance, I had a young man who was one of the best hustlers in town. He
knew every man in the district, was popular everywhere and could induce
a half-dead man to come to the polls on election day. But, regularly,
two weeks before election, he started on a drunk, and I had to hire two
men to guard him day and night and keep him sober enough to do his work.
That cost a lot of money, and I dropped the young man after a while.

Maybe you think I'm unpopular with the saloonkeepers because 1 don't
drink. You're wrong. The most successful saloonkeepers don't drink
themselves and they understand that my temperance is a business
proposition, just like their own. I have a saloon under my headquarters.
If a saloonkeeper gets into trouble he always knows that Senator
Plunkitt is the man to help him out. If there is a bill in the
Legislature makin' it easier for the liquor dealers, I am for it every
time. I'm one of the best friends the saloon men have--but I don't drink
their whisky. I won't go through the temperance lecture dodge and tell
you how many' bright young men I've seen fall victims to intemperance,
but I'll tell you that I could name dozens--young men who had started on
the road to statesmanship who could carry their districts every time,
and who could turn out any vote you wanted at the primaries. I honestly
believe that drink is the greatest curse of the day, except, of course.
civil service, and that it has driven more young men to ruin than
anything except civil service examinations.

Look at the great leaders of Tammany Hall! No regular drinkers among
them. Richard Croker's strongest drink was vichy. Charlie Murphy takes
a glass of wine at dinner sometimes, but he don't go beyond that A
drinkin' man wouldn't last two weeks as leader of Tammany Hall. Nor can
a man manage an assembly district long if he drinks. He's got to have
a clear head all the time. I could name ten men who, in the last few
years lost their grip in their districts because they began drinkin'.
There's now thirty-six district leaders in Tammany Hall, and I don't
believe a half-dozen of them ever drink anything except at meals. People
have got an idea that because the liquor men are with us in campaigns.
our district leaders spend most of their time leanin' against bars.