The sun., 1897-11-13
The Taproom OF the Princeton Inn.


Adjacent to the grounds of Princeton
University there is hostelry known as the
Princeton Inn. 1t is handsome and COM
modious structure, and was built several
years ago by Princeton alumni of wealth
for the accommodation, more specifically,
of graduates and friends of the students
visiting the university town. The estab-
lishment has no direct connection with the
university, but is recognized in the Prince
ton catalogues and guide books as associ-
ated with 1t indirectly.
In this very inviting inn there is a tap.
room remarkably tasteful In its appoint
ments as such and its artistic decorations.
1t is one of the prettiest and most COM
Portable drinking places anywhere to be
seen, and students of the university are ad.
mitted to it and served with its beverages,
but only after they have reached their
junior year. Under the law of New Jersey
and the ordinance of the borough. in order
to obtain a license for such saloon it
is necessary that stipulated number of
adjacent residents, property holders, shall
sign an application for it, In past years
the requisite signatures have been secured,
and the sale of liquors has gone on without
provoking serious public discussion. Nor
has any instance of any abuse of the inns
drinking privileges on the part of the
Princeton students been complained of, so
far as we have heard. Friends of the uni
versity seem rather to have regarded it's
| tasteful and refined surroundings us con-
ducive to the welfare of the students in
! diverting them from unseemly drinking
places of the town into which they might
be tempted.
When this year 1t became necessary to Sc
cure the signatures of the stipulated num-
Der of adjacent property holders to an
application for renewal of the license, the
existence of the taproom was brought into
public discussion by the circumstance that
among the sgners was ex-President CLEvE-
LAND, but more especially that another was
the Rev. CHARLES w. SHIELDS, d. D., the
venerable Professor of Revealed Religion
in the Princeton Theological Seminary.
1t seems that the names of these
two gentlemen were requisite to make
up the number legally necessary. There
upon the Prohibitionists of New Jersey and
of the Union generally started a great hue
and cry against Dr. SHIELDS more particu-
larly, on the ground of his direct compiled.
ty in the maintenance of drinking saloon
In a university community.
Unquestionably DR.. SHIELDS was charge
able with such completely, for, under the
circumstances, the renewal OF the license
OF the Princeton Inns taproom seems
to have been impossible without his
signature. Accordingly, after long and bit
ter discussion among the Prohibitionists,
the course of DIR. SHIELDS in the matter
was brought before the New Brunswick
Presbytery. but on Thursday he forestalled
its decision by sending to it a letter with
drawing from the Presbyterian Church,
and consequently from it's ecclesiastical
jurisdiction, and announcing his intention
to center some other portion of the visible
Catholic Church TO which the good hand of
GOD may guide me in due time" Accord.
ingly, resolution was adopted to erase
DR.. SHIELDs's name from the roll of minis
ters in the Presbytery and recite in the
minutes the circumstances of his case.
The course of DIR. SHIELDS in Withdrawing
was the alternative he had to accept, pro-
vided that he was not willing to recon
slider his proceeding in signing the petition
for the liquor license. The General AS.
sembly of the Presbyterian Church made
deliyerance in 1877 declaring that "we
regard the signing of petitions for license
as reprehensible completely in the sale of
Intoxicating liquors" and this injunction
he had violated squarely, If not knowingly.
But DIR. SHIELDS would not withdraw his
"complicity," preferring rather to with
draw from the Church against whose dis
cipllne he had offended.
That is, venerable professor in the fore.
! most American divinity school of Presby-
terianism leaves his Church rather than