Not only do any of these three young men not drink—­also they neither smoke nor swear.  And they are types of twentieth century success.  The “stein-on-the-table-and-a-good-song-ringing-clear” kind of man is out of date.

You see, so nerve-consuming are all the activities of modern life that only the very highest types of effectiveness succeed.  Brain of ice, hand of steel, heart of fire, clear vision, and cold, steady grasp of the lever and masterful, and yet a passionate relentlessness—­these are necessary.  Stimulants destroy effectiveness; that is the trouble with them.  And you need every ounce of your power.  Do not let the people who talk “moderation” to you persuade you otherwise.  We find many such in what is called “society,” where the taking of wine moderately is universal.

I repeat that you cannot tell what your powers of resistance are.  Unfortunately, many of the world’s noblest characters have had nerves so finely wrought and brain so vivid that a single drop of stimulant started a perfect conflagration within them.  One of the ablest men this country has ever known, when questioned by a friend as to what had been the greatest pleasure of his life, said:  “The greatest ‘pleasure’ of my life is the delirium of intoxication”; and then he went on to say how sure he was that if the fires of desire had never been lighted in his blood he would have done better work.

All of us can recall such examples in our own experience.  Don’t risk it, therefore, young man.  Why take the chance? for even if you discover no taste for it, you will find that there is nothing in it, after all.  Why this hazard of your powers, just to find out whether you can resist?  It is a one-sided gamble, is it not?  Even fools refuse to play when they know that the dice may be loaded.

Don’t think that you have got to be a great public man, or a big politician, or a celebrated scientist, or distinguished in any line, before these practical truths apply to you.  You must build your whole life upon them from the very beginning.  For example, I know a man who for several years has been exercising ever-increasing power in his State.  He selects his lieutenants with greatest possible care, consulting with trained advisers about the qualifications of each man to whom any political work is to be trusted.

Very well.  The first question asked always is, “Does he drink?” If he does, that fact strikes a black line through his name.  He is no longer considered, no matter how capable and energetic he may be otherwise.  For, ordinarily, another man just as effective can be found who does not have this defect.

This entire chapter could be taken up with these instances; and the increasing number of them, the remarks I have quoted of that master of worldly wisdom at the White House reception, the observation of the great politician about the strong man of his party in another state, fairly justify, I think, a suggestion to young men that as a practical, worldly, and business matter they had better use no stimulants, either alcoholic or others, for others are just as bad, or worse, than the former.  Indeed, alcohol and other various forms of wines and other like stimulants have had a disproportionate amount of abuse heaped upon them.  Let the young man look out for all kinds of stimulants.