The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31
PATTON ON TEMPERANCE.
PRIHcErOE,s PRBsLDERT MAKES n
ABATEMENT TO STUDBNTa


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PRINCETON. N. j., Jan. 9o.-At the veSper ser
vice held this afternoon in Marquand Chapel
President Francis L. Patton delivered an adj
dress ON temperance to tho undergraduates Of
Princeton. The chapel was filled to OVERLOOKING
with the students and friends Of the university.
The address In full was as follows:
AT their meeting in October the attention Of
our trustees was turned 10 the recent agitation
which has 80 seriously involved the good namo
Of Princeton University. A committee. Of
which i was Chairman. was appointed TO con-
slider the whole subject and report at q subse-
Quent meeting OF the trustees. That report was
presented and adopted A. at the meeting hold on
the 23d Of December. 1t was resolved that n
strict literal and impartial enforcement Of tho
existing lawe respecting intoxicating. drinks bo
~enjoined upon the faculty; and that the Presi-
dent Of the university DO asked to make o state
ment to tho students upon the whole question
at such q time as may suit his convenience.
"I come before you this afternoon for the pur-
pose Of carrying out the wishes Of the trustees
In respect to the second point In the report Just
referred to. As We have just observed the day
Of prayer for our colleges. / do not know that q
moro fitting time could be chosen for the pur-
pose of bringing this important subject to your
notice.
~ bear grateful testimony to the high moral
tone Of the students Of this university. I know
that they have been misrepresented and misun-
derstood. Their hilarity. their boisterous out
bursts Of exuberancc. their song singing. which
often has Q more Bacchanalian sound than I
could wish. and in some instances their mex
cussble acts of wrong doing have produced i'm
pressions which the facts will not Justify;
and they have on many occasions been
charged with drunkenness for no other reason
than that under the influence of the Rregarious
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
s%obriety. / am sure that, so far as good be-
havior IL concerned. tho undergraduate Of
Princeton is not behind the undergraduate
body of any university in the land; and I am
proud to say. on what / feel is good authority,
that the Princeton undergraduate Of to-day does
not suffer by comparison with the Princeton
UNDERGRADUATE Of bygone days.
There never was less reason for adverse criti-
cism Of Princeton than during the period in
which 1t has been 90 unsparingly bestowed upon
us. have taken pains to find out the truth,
and I am still mistaken in my conviction that
the tendency in Princeton is steadily in tho di.
rection Of q diminished use Of alcoholic drinks.
Still. I must not be blind to the fact; and after
making all allowance for wilful misrepresenta-
ton or mistake, l am constrained to believe that
there is far more Of what is called moderate
drinking among us than the wisest and best
friends Of Princeton could wish; and there are
those among you who are putting their future in
peril by the excessive use Of Intoxicating drinks.
Instances Of intoxication are comparatively rare,
but they occur nevertheless, and there is q ten
dency. 1 find, even among some Of those who
cannot be charged with 1t themselves, to think
too lightly Of the sin of drunkenness.
Ishall not discuss the general question of
intemperance. nor consider the relative do
grees Of wisdom that characterize the different
modes Of dealing with 1t. On the latter ques.
differ widely. and we. as Christian men. are
bound to respect their conscientious judgments.
Some think that the matter should be dealt
with by legislation. either by. absolute prohibit
tion or by the restricted sale of Intoxicating
as sumptuary laws. When we admit that the
far eoneede the principle Of State Control. The
question after that is one OF degree. and the
snsssr nc IT a is r b. of inS 6SHnd M IN sSR' 5sIsoS se st
serves the end in view. The prohibitions
must not be scorned as the invader Of liberty;
anu the advocate of high license must not be de-
MED his right 70 be regarded as working in the
interest Of temperance.
question as to what is wise legislative policy.
II is with the ethical side Of temperance and not
It's DSiIt,esi side ID t thSs ! am Ru dealing "a ,emb II is not Of
Princeton Universit, that l wish to speak. And
Speaking even under these limitations it is not
with the disciplinary side of the question that /
wish to deal In what l say this afternoon. There
Is nothing unnatural in the desire Of the trustees
many years been the law of the university in
regard, TO alcoholic, liquors. That, law is wise
PATTY With your feeling lhs, the university man
Is not to he treated as though be were In a pre-
p%aratory school, l am ready to take my full share
Of responsibility for the report which, as Chair.
man OF the committee dealing with the question,
made to tho Board OF Trustees. am In full
regard to the enforcement OF the existing law.
and l feel that the administration Of that law
tan Judgment Of the Dean Of this university.
In what ! say this afternoon ! wish TO bring the
moral influence Of this pulpit to bear upon the
am sure that the good sense Of the better part
OF the university will be in sympathy with, the
am confident that In the long run our course
will mme itself to the calm and balanced
IT believe that we shall and it possible to
have such a wise execution OF this law as VIII
accomplish the ends which we wish to realize
Of great wisdom, and / think i may fairly ask
all who have the interests OF Princeton at heart
10 trust the men who are called. TO the respon-
sible position Of guiding her affairs.
There are two classes Of men whom 1 have
particularly In mind: Those who have already
fallen into Incorporate habits and those, who
are IN danger OF forming those habits. ! know
that there are some who do not make much OF
the distinction between these two classes. and
who, therefore. as they happen to be habitualiy
waste too much pity on the man who Is guilty
of habitual intoxication or else TO treat the
moderate drinker AZ a drinker. But the distinc-
tion Is a valid one. and simple justice requires
us TO make it. Now. / wish TO say that drunk
enness is practically an objectionable sin in our
academic life. I do not forget the duty ! owe
men to. counsel. 10 warn them. and to labor
for their Improvement. There have been
men In all these years OF my ad-
ministration who know how faithfully
they have been dealt with In regard TO this sin.
which ruins both body and SOUL, But. with the
utmost desire TO reclaim the erring and making
every allowance for the mistakre OF youth. II
must be understood that a man cannot be guilty
Of repeated acts OF intoxication and continue In
this university II his offence is known to the au'
thorities.