New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-12
TIE IR4GEUY II VILE.

Tho death of n Yale student III consequence
of an injury received in the course OF his inl'a-
ton into a secret society has naturally pro-
vollcd general condemnation OF performances
which can result in such a shocking catastro-
nho Al tho same time considerable ignorance
has been shown in identifying the treatment
If Rustin with the detestable hazing practiccs
which formerly prevailed in most America"
collepcs The resemblance is slight and super
fetal There was no thought on the part Oh
the minors who were conducting the initlauoh
Of terrifying or humiliating or IN any way
tornenting the novitiatc. There was no per-
sonal or class antipathy to be gratiiicd at MS
evnonse On the contrary, they had just sig
nified their respect and regard 1or hin' ~ ."
election to their own rather exclusive anu Gu
tirey reputable fraternity. Their 1eenhs "-
ward him was a feeling OF kindness ana aheo-
ton. 1t NAV be said that they took s'iahse
way to show It, but it ought to be remeHpercu
that this criticism comes after the event. ana
therefore has not quite so much force as IL ma!
appear to have to those who make IT, l"c
chances were thousand to one that man
running through deserted street at night' no.
in terror but willingly and though bllndioioe"
vet closely attended, would escape without 'he
slightest injury or even so much as an ahAiouS
Thought The performance had been gone
tbrouch innumcrable times before, ana noDou!
IMAGINED that it could involve a tragedy. but
suddenly darling away from his attendants
nrobobly for the sake of little amusement no,
;ncluded in the programme, Ruskin ran against
on obstruction and received mortal wound
An unexpected misfortune always cohceh-
tratcs attention upon the lack Of foresight which
made il possible, and is apt to excite more cen
sure and wrath than tho case really Calls ior'
Everybody is more or less Responsible lor con-
slant and for special perils which he might 40
something to avert, and those who aiiege ue-
liberate and malicious cruelty against the laie
students are not to be commenced Ihue.u'
they are scarcely to be excused. We state tnis
view of the case not for the purpose OIL dc-
fondinp such initiation customs Mt ale or else
whore but because we think it just and proper
90 nrotost against the exaggerated and unrea-
sonable and cruel aspersons in which not
few basty critics have INDUCED. The Coroners
;urv found sensible and useful verdict lheF
discountenanccd emphatically the inshua'ioh
that there was an intention or thought OF per-
hitting Rustin to be harmed, but they con-
demned n performance which, as experience
had shown. might lead 10 lamentablc conSe-
mences, and they censured the college author
ties for their failure 10 supervise such cefe-
monies. The responsibility does rest IN great
err degree upon the faculty than upon the STU
dents. The duty of foreseeing the possible re-
suits of generally harmless custom belongs
70 them. and we have no doubt that they VIII
hereafter recognize 1t.
That the resolutions of sorrow and embicms
of mourning adopted by the students have gen
uine significance is shown by their formal agree
ment that candidates elected to the junior So
cietes shall be required hereafter merely to
pledQe their fealty and subscribe to the con,
stitution. They cannot perhaps absolutely bind
their SUCCESSORS but the profound impression
made upon the college community by this
mournful event will not soon fade away More
over the students at Yale have already dis-
carded of their own free will most OF tho TOOL
ish and unworthy practices which were once
a considerable part of college life An over
whelming majority of them arc intelligent
manly, moral young men, sensitive 10 puDhc
opinion and deserving of public respect