The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-11-25
THE PRINCETON INN.


q hotel established ut Princeton, N j.,
for the special use of students and
patrons OF 2 P:inceton University, has
attracted the attention Of thousands
all over the country. 1t is said that
the New Brunswick synod will take
some sort Of action upon the metter,
especially in the case OF Prof. Shields,
who was one Of the signers oil the
petition upon which the Inn was
granted its license to sell liquors.
Another of the signers was eX-Pres1-
dent Cleveland, whose signature 1t
was that gave the Inn management
the necessary number of signatures to
insure the issuance of the license.
Professor Shields, who Is minister Of
the Presbyterian church, and bears
the title doctor Of divinity, has been
severely criticised by parts of the coun.
try, and a resolution condemning him
will be introduced at the meeting of
the synod. If it is adopted, he will
resign his professorship and his con-
:nectiOn with the ohurch-at least so it
is reported. He has for thirty years
been q professor in Princeton.
Many synods have condemned the
professor and the inn. There has
been raised all over the country O hue
and cry against the inn; Presbyterian
ministers and Presby yterian associa-
tions have been particularly active
and so great has been the clamor over
tt Q matter, that it has become almost
q national issue.
In view of all which, some facts
about the inn and the university nav
be re interest For time out of mind,
Princeton students who desired to
drink alcoholic beverages have been
forced to patronize veritable grogshops
in Princeton town. These saloons
have been of the worst imaginable
kinds. The thous inds Of students at
tending the big school have ever had
among them certain number who
would drink. These spent their nights
in the saloons of the town, where tho
proprietors would serve any sort of
liquor demanded, and whence boys
came forth staggering and dazed from
the use of spirits.
Such was the state Of affairs when
four years ago Moses Taylor Pyne, u
trustee Of Princeton and an alumnus.
determined that Princeton men should
not be subjected to these indigni6ies
he went among his friends and the
friends of Princeton and raised enough
money to build the splendid h hotcl that
purpose was in Mr.. Pyne's mind when
be caused the hotel to be built. Not
In all Princeton was there hotel
which might be called what is known
as first. class. OF course, there were
hotels, but they were Of the cheap
kind, and it was in these hostelries
that friends and parents of students
we're compelled to put up when they
visited Princeton. Mr. Pyne conceived
the idea of killing two birds with one
stone. He would build fine hotel to
accommodate visitors to the university
and he would supply place where
the students could be served with beer
and ale under the supervision Of the
university. a stock company was
formed, the. hotel was built and
manager, was secured who had com.
petent ability as hotel man, and VINO
also knew the wants and the vagaries
OF college students. This manager is
very sedate appearing gentleman,
who rule5;the famous grillrOom with a
rod of iron. TO this man was intrusted
the task, or duty, of seeing that no
" freshly or "soph got into the grill
room-the place downstairs where the
ale and cakes" are sold-without
being accompanied by senior. The
grillroOm IL open until II o'clock every
night, and any student in "Otd Nassau"
may enter 80 long as these restrictions
he may desire to consume, and smoke
innumerable pipefuls Vi tobacco, while
the roof tree sends back the echo of
the very best songs that Princeton
talent can produce.
sThatS is the inn and it's purposes.
The fight. Ia directed particularly TO-
ward the grillroom. Upstairs in the
Inn is q room where students of any
class may,':when with their relatives,
obtain any kind of alcoholic beverage
they wish to order, This part of the
programme Is so purely - personal
matter that no one has objected to it,
except on general principles. The
.rnse: 'is imperative--students can get
tNVes. This part is hotel, nothing
more:
'7 Now, Trustee Pyne believes
thorous hly in the institution and 80, it
may be said, do most Of the authorities
OF Princeton, who contend that the
real issue is between the temperance
of q licensed hOstelry where there is
the strictest regulations and the in
temperance of the bad barrooms Of the
town. Pyne declares that if the grill.
room is to be closed the whole thing
must be closed--that the closing will
start at the top and strike the grill
room last. The alumni are generally
with Mr.. Pyne in his position and it is
generally understood that President
Patton and the other authorities agree
with them.
In this connection The Chicago
Times Herald furnishes an interesting
Phase OF the controversy. 1t tells Of
the strong criticisms that arc coming
from Presbyterian ministers in general
and some of them in narticulur and
adds
"The university authorities have no
hesitancy In speaking tacitly, if not
oVertly, about the peculiar and deli.
cate debt that Ia due to them from the
ministry N, OF the Presby terian church.
This debt is o remarkable one in some
ways It is worth referring to in ex-
tensO
From the very beginning of tho
university the sons of the PRESBYTERIAN
ministers have been educated free of
charge at Princeton. There are many
hundreds, nay, thousands, Of Presby-
terian minister's sons who have been
graduated from old Nassau with not