New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-22


mutual Improvement through harmless miscnief malice
plotting SANDER actual violence TO Others dissipation
aud debaucbery among Themselves No' '"a' III III
those deps are reached but that they do IN some
easily proved and that they may In all Is as easily
demonstrated from the conditions inVoVed'
Without pretending 10 moro thsh o'uin"'y aopu"'n
tance with the ARRANGEMENTS in tho other world sm
,li, 10 hazard NV position thereln upon the truth or
,ho nronoston that socret societies are unknown I'D
beaven. lint that they form prominent ana essehns
,eature ~ life in the other locality ht versus DARK
nes. onenness versus mystery; mutual cohnue"oo
yerss suspicion and distrust young mon arc spoo',
aoa oo, noo,Ie in general. IL Is not the least oi
woman,s many wrongs that the stronger SeA mas o.
cluded them from secret organizations "no'"o' -
tho general principle "onne V'o'"" pr ".g -,
o. from tho assumption OF womans inability 70 Keep
-. :, a. hardly worth while to inquire the iac'
.a,r that seoret societies exclusively masculine
yo had resuts are liable to follow. ID AS above to-
r,rlad the exclusion Ia bar to the conndenoe "ncn
should be absolute between husDahu an" "iio 90
nearly 30 between mother ana SONS pIo'"o'' ~ -
%, Male thoughts and feelings tend uo"h"hu' Doe
man assert this as rule 40 general thA' sho oAop
ton can hardly be found. The army the neuica'
the boarding school, the dormitory' all Dear "'"o'
Tho fact that when for any time men are placed IN Sooa
-, ,,. trou which women are excluded demorallza-
ton anauesslowly perhaps, but surely ana that tne
collage socety ia no exception let Dr. crosby Hno"
from his own experience: Thirty years ago was
member of a college secret society," anu "hno " w
RIGHT follow members, l found the assoVh''io" WIS
chiefly temptation TO vice. the PROMISE vi Sooio'
preyented all disclosure to parents ana tno Soouoo"
vas Tins perfect we met in a back room OF hotel
ouor was brought from the barroom Tor tue oompsny
and a. in all such styles of association the conversation
o-oyitated IN the obscene and sensual. 90 not
cbaree all or any Of our college secret sOceues WIN
such excuses ut the present day. but sun 'noS
ALI offer remarkable opportunity for sins In which pup
licity would not allow their members To indulge lor
moment" .... 49,.
than those above described. know othersfor winch u
pcture is not overdrawn Aud would ask the members
ho,ho tbe language habitually employed or the SUD
iects d cussed at their meetings when these aro eo
social are as pure "a they would be In the presence VI
their mothers and sistersf Any admitted uhoio"0 i
the worse il to be ascribed, In part ateaSt 10 o
Of their arrangements. Admitting that the ostsnSoio
ob,ecta of secret socetes arc innocent eieFanK' a
benevolent we may fairly ask whether All Vi 'ue 0o
rot be inst az we'll accomplished without the element OF
secrecy. and ON the other hand, ~ may "a larry W
claimed that this mystery Is the direct VI
the csc in another way: It is probable that, exsp pit
under extraordinary conditions all good ends are atta
able by open aud direct means, WINE IL II oertau n
covert and my sefOus methods OF iac0n are CONSTANT
characteristic OF evil deeds. .. -,
M h perhaps true that large numbers OF eminent men
In al are or have heen connected with secret
sOoeties; TO no conclusive we should kho" VIVA,
onnaIly eminent men have not been connected ana
HE that at the most it might be shown that
membership not Incorporating WltD iuthIe aiNdhVc-
ment and that this was made spite of the assocd-
en rsrber than through lis aid II ought also to be
shown what proportion exists between the enent anu
GOOD and those who are So were the reverse IN
and out of the organizations. IL might DO ditiout 10
obtain evidence upon this point Dut every ooIese
may ascertain from the IsG3nV mar 81 those
whose conduct method OF study can ior ins NJ
ference largo majority hrs sVSre are vsors w,rrants
me m affirming that nne-tenths OF the mischief ana I'M
morality the earlier years of the Cornell Oniyersl
socety men who came here from other institutions Tor
tine ayowed purpose Of ENGRAVING branches OF ther
healthy organization. Aud further speaking not as
Professor, but a citizen aud member oil the Ohyor
sy feel no hesitation in adding that the larger pro
norton Of all the disturbances which nave In any way
affected the comfort OF students OF faculty ana OF CUE
zens been either originated or carried Ouo ootn
by means OF secret organizations
The correctness OF the following statements may
time the cases occurred young STUDENT wa huuceu
10 join fraternity; naturally boylsn ana lhcOn
chased an xpensive badge felt bound 10 contribute
hs the frequent festivities which rendered Cas-
xpeuded the funds sent him Tor tuition anu board ms
difficulties became at last 100 great Tor Iurtner
conceinent from his father, and he left the
Institution under not very credltaDe crcumstinces
Another student. most respects the opposite OF the
ture conscientious, aud independent-wds induced 10
iOn society which enjoyed very high reputation IOr
former friends perceived change but respected him
much 20 complain. Suddenly he severed his connection
No reason made public; but IL - generally ui
derstOOd that nehDer cOmmtteu an 9hcnso a61 1
Justice and college law True 10 their pledge, his fellows
refused 10 condemn his action. Finding remOnsfance
in vain the now member dared do that which few have
ever done, and freed himself from an association IN
wrong overpowered by an oath of mutual support.
Whatever may been the exact cause. the fact re-
mains that one OF our most brilliant students ana e1
celent young men, who was III TACT TOO good 70 I'VE,
found the bonds OF OF the best societies too
CALLING for endurance That he retained the respect and
good will OF his late associates Is sun more conclusive
evidence OF the fact that no lott them for conscience
sake. and not asked TO resign.
III most able well as moderate article upon secret
societies THE CoHgTegGOndisi. 1871, vol 20 No. l6),
President Crosby states very decidedly that his adverse
opinions based IN great measure upon his experience
secretary of college faculty another college Presi
dent adVerted to the babyshness Of secret soce
ties while third denounces them as an unmitgated
nuisance" Former associations render 10 difficult for
many college officers express their later views, but IL
is known that few regard them as wholly beneficial
conclusion charge organizations with tending
TO encourage plots and Vaccinations against law order
arts; with exciting jealouses with exact
ing time and attention needed for study; with involving
expenditure which many i'll Afford and which all
could apply 10 better advantage with encouraging de-
Of parents; with furnishing partial and unfair
pect Of persons and things with being childish in prin
cpe and more less vicious practice and finally
with doing all this in the pretended effort 10 accomplish
cOmpshed without the element OF secrecy.
THE REMEDY.
When the evil OF organizations Is once admitted
outweigh the good they accomplish the remedy should
be radical in its nature, although Its effects may be
slowly manifested
o. Let the members OF secret Organizations be at
once looked upon as only "partial men; :" happy
phrase employed by Haeckel to indicate the undenabe
fact that only onebalf aud that the poorer belongs 10
humanlty-the better Is the slave OF a clique.
a. Let deny their eligibility 70 any position OF
honor and trust Involving discrimination between in.
diyiGuals.
81 Let no woman marry until her sutton takes a
solemn pledge 10 remain Join secret organ
izat0n OF any kind except for the protection life
health, property during other exceptional CIR
cumstances.
a. Let colleges prohibit the formation continuance
OF secret societies. exact pledge from every entering
student and II necessary make unhesItatng expulsion
the penalty OF membership. =,
o. Let the for this action be embodied In
printed pamphlet placed m hands ~ all Nyho