the enactment of
prohibition laws, state or national, is personally nothing to me. I
long ago reached an age when the convivialism of life ceased to cut any
figure in the equation of my desires and habits. It is the never-failing
recourse of the intolerant, however, to ascribe an individual, and, of
course, an unworthy, motive to contrariwise opinions, and I have not
escaped that kind of criticism.

The challenge underlying prohibition is twofold: Does prohibition
prohibit, and, if it does, may it not generate evils peculiarly its own?

The question hinges on what are called "sumptuary laws"; that is,
statutes regulating the food and drink, the habits and apparel of the
individual citizen. This in turn harks back to the issue of paternal
government. That, once admitted and established, becomes in time
all-embracing.

Bigotry is a disease. The bigot pursuing his narrow round is like the
bedridden possessed by his disordered fancy. Bigotry sees nothing but
itself, which it mistakes for wisdom and virtue. But Bigotry begets
hypocrisy. When this spreads over a sufficient area and counts a
voting majority it sends its agents abroad, and thus we acquire canting
apostles and legislators at once corrupt and despotic.

They are now largely in evidence in the national capital and in the
various state capitals, where the poor-dog, professional politicians
most do congregate and disport themselves.

The worst of it is that there seems nowhere any popular
realization--certainly any popular outcry. Do the people grow
degenerate? Are they willfully dense?

Chapter the Twenty-Sixth

A Libel on Mr. Cleveland--His Fondness for Cards--Some Poker
Stories--The "Senate Game"--Tom Ochiltree, Senator Allison and General
Schenck

I

Not long after Mr. Cleveland's marriage, being in Washington, I made a
box party embracing Mrs. Cleveland, and the Speaker and Mrs. Carlisle,
at one of the theaters where Madame Modjeska was appearing. The ladies
expressing a desire to meet the famous Polish actress who had so charmed
them, I took them after the play behind the scenes. Thereafter we
returned to the White House where supper was awaiting us, the President
amused and pleased when told of the agreeable incident.

The next day there began to buzz reports to the contrary. At first
covert, they gained in volume and currency until a distinguished
Republican party leader put his imprint upon them in an after-dinner
speec