The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-01
READ THEM A LECTURE.
TOO MUCH TIPPLING AMONG THE
PRINCETON UNDERGRADUATE
drunkenness Is Practically an Impair
donabio Sin In Our Academic Life"
Says He.

PRINCETON. n. j.. Jan. H.-A few
| days ago President Francis l.. Patton an
| Dounced that he wOuI daddress the UNI
| derSracuate body Sunday upon the sub
| iect of temperance. As consequence,
| MarquaEd Chapel vas crowded at
| o'clock in the afternoon. In the audience
were several signers OF the Princeton
Inn liquor license. among them Grover
| Cleveland. Prof. Charles Woodruff
| Shields whose IesIgration from the Pres
! byterian church was caused by criticism
| growing out OF his signing the petition,
and Prof. Charles Greene lockwood. DR..
Patton said:
AT their meeting in October the atten-
ton Of our trustees was turned 10 the
recent agitation which has so seriously
involved the good name of Princeton Uni
versity. a committee was appointed TO
consider the whole subject and report ut
subsequent meeting OF the trustees.
That report was presented and adopted
at the meeting held on the 23d OF Deem
Der.
STRICT ENFORCEMENT
1T was resolved that n strict literal and
impartial enforcement of the existing law
respecting intoxicating drinks be enjoned
upon the faculty and that the President
OF the University be asked 10 make
statement 10 the students on the whole
question.
Il bear grateful testimony 10 tho high
moral tone OF the students OF this uni
versity. / know that they have been mis-
represented ana misunderstood. Their
hilarity, their boisterous outbursts OF ex-
uberance. their songs, which often have
more bacchanalian sound than I would
wish. and in some instances their mex
cusable acts Of wrongdoing. have produc-
ed impressions which the facts VIII not
Justify; and they have on many occasions
been charged with drunkenness for no
other reason than that under the inilu-
ence of the gregarous instinct. which
sometimes assumes an almost irrational
mode Of expression, animal spirits have
been allowed too much freedom, and
speech and action have not been kept
within those metes and bounds which
mature men in the busy walks of life are
apt TO associate with sobriety
"But there was never less reason for
adverse criticism OF Princeton than during
the period in which it has been so I'M
sparingly bestowed upon us. 7 have TAX
en- pains TO find out the truth, and lam
still mistaken in my conviction that the
tendency in Princeton is steadily In the
direction OF a diminished use Of alcaholc
drinks Stil. I must not be blind 10 the
fact. and after Tnaking all allowance for
wilful misrepresentation or mistake / am
constrained 20 believe that there Is FIR
more Of what Is called moderate drink
ing among US than the wisest and best
friends OF Princeton could wish, and there
are those amng you who are putting
their future in peril by the excessive use
OF intoxicatirg drink.
A RESPONSIBILITY.
"Thero is nothing unnatural i'm the de-
sire Of the trustees for a viglant en-
forcement Of what has for many years
been tho law OF the university In re-
gard 10 alcoholic liquors While ] am In
fun sy mpathy with your feeling that the
university man is not 20 be treated as
though he were in preparatory school
7 ma ready 10 take my full share Of re-
sponsiblity for the report which, as
chairman OF the committee dealing WITH
the question. l made TO the Board OF
Trustees.
There are two classes OF men whom
have particularly In mind. Those who
have already fallen into intemperate hdb-
its. and those who are in danger of form
ing those habits. Drunkenness Is prac-
ucally an uupar io1able sin in our acad-
emic life II must be understood that
n man cannot be guilty OF repeated acts
OF irtoxicatiOn and continue In this uni
versitv II his onense IS known 10 the
authorities.
81 wish more particularly. however, 70
say a kindly word TO those whoi are un-
dorstood 10 be moderate. drinkers. II any
duty is .ntuitvely given us I'm conscious
ness IL is temperance. / mean the duty
Of eelf-contrOl Let me caution you. then.
against the habits which put self-control
I'm peril"