"In the old days, we had the rack. Now we have the pres

Can you help me out with this Oscar Wilds's quote? I tried hard to get it. In particular, what is the meaning of the rack in this context?

Paul N.

I think that that is the rack as in the torture device that will eventually kill you. Remember that this play was dealing with blackmail wherein a woman was threatening to ruin a good politician's name by revealing a secret of his past to the newspapers. The bad publicity would have killed off his career torturously the same way the rack would have killed a man slowly. Does that help? Anyone think I'm wrong?because I am totally open to another interpretation.

Your explanation appears to me superbly good, Rene. Yet I advise you to take my opinion rather lightly since I have neither read nor seen " An Ideal Husband" in my entire life.