The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-31
DRUNKS IN PRINCETON
PRESIDENT PATTON GIVES WARNING
TO BIBULOUS STUDENTS.
Grover Cleveland Present at the An
noumced Lecture on Temperance
to the undergraduates.

PRINCETON, N. J., Jan. S0.--A few days
ago President Francis l.. Patton announced
that he would address the undergraduate
body to-day on the subject of temperance.
AS a consequence Marquand Chapel was
crowded at o'clock to-day. In the audi
ence were several signers of the Princeton
Inn liquor license, among them Grover
Cleveland, Prof Charles Woodruff Shields,
whose resignation from the Presbyterian
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 attention
of our trustees was turned to the recent
agitation which has so seriously involved
the good name of Princeton University. A
committee was appointed to consider the
whole subject and report at a subsequent
meeting of the trustees. That report was
presented and adopted at the meeting held
on the ed of December. 1t was resolved
that a strict. literal and impartial enforce
ment of the existing law respecting intoxi-
eating drinks be enjoined on the faculty,
and that the president of the university be
asked to make statement to the students
on the whole question.
II bear testimony to the high moral tone
of the students of this university. / know
that they have been misrepresented and
misunderstood. Their hilarity, their bolster
Gus outbursts of exuberance, their songs,
which often have a more bacchanalian
sound than L would wish, and in some in
stances their inexcusabe acts of wrong
doing. have produced impressions which the
facts will not justify; and they have on
many occasions been charged with drunk
enness for no other reason than that un-
der the influence of the gregarious instinct
which sometimes assumes an almost IRA
tional mode of expression animal spirits
have been allowed too much freedom and
speech ard action have not been kept with
in those metes and bounds which mature
men in busy walks of life are apt to asso-
ciate with sobriety
but there was never less reason for ad-
verse criticism of Princeton than during
the period in which it has been so unspar-
ingly bestowed upon us. have taken pains
to find out the truth, and 1 am still un-
shaken in my conviction that the tendency
in Princeton is steadily in the direction of a
diminished use of alcoholic drinks. Still,
must not be blind to the fact, and after
making all allowances for willful misrep-
resentatiOn or mistake, 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
excessive use of intoxicating drink.
There is nothing unnatural in the desire
of the trustees for a Vigilant enforcement
of what has for many years been the law
of the university in regard to alcoholic
liquors. While l am in full sympathy with
your feeling that the university man is not
to be treated as though he were in pre-
paratory school, / am ready to take my full
share of responsibility for the report which
as chairman of the committee dealing with
the question, made to the board of trus-
tees. There are two classes of men whom
/ have particularly in mind: Those who
have already fallen into Incorporate habits
and those who are in danger of forming
those habits. Drunkenness is practically an
objectionable sin in our academic life. 1t
must be understood that a man cannot be
guilty of repeated acts of intoxication and
continue in this university If his offense
is known TO the authorities.
Il wish more particularly, however, to
say kindly word to those who are under
stood to be moderate drinkers. If any duty
is intuitively given us in consciousness it is
temperance. l mean the duty of self-con-
troll. Let me caution you, then, against the
habits which put Self-control in PERIL