Evening journal., 1898-01-31
PATTON ON LIQUOR.
Undergraduates Addressed by
Princeton's President.
CONDEMNS EXCESSIVE DRINKING.
Says the .Universiiy's Moral Tone Has
Never Been Better Than at Present
and Notes q Decrease In Use
OF Stimulants.

OF stimuiants.
PRINCETON. N. j., Jan. 31.-A few
days ago President Francis l.. Patton
announced that he would address the
undergraduate body yesterday upon the
subject Of temperance. AS a conse-
quence Marquand chapel was crowded
az O'clock in the afternoon. There
were more outsiders than students, as
It was expected that the president
would give a full discussion of the
Princeton inn question and everything
relating to 1t. Among others in the
audience were several signers of the
Princeton Inn liquor license. as EXPIRES
ident Grover Cleveland, Professor
Charles Woodruff Shields, d. D., IL. D.,
whose resignation from the Presbyte-
rian church was caused by criticism
growing out OF his signing the petition,
and Professor Charles Greene Rock
wood. Dr. Patton in part said
"At their meeting In October the at
tention Of our trustees was turned to
the recent agitation which has so Sc
rlously involved the good name OF
Princeton university. committee, OF
which l was chairman, was appointed
to consider the whole subject and re-
port at q subsequent meeting of the
trustees. That report was presented
and adopted at the meeting held on the
23d OF December. IL was resolved that
a strict, literal and impartial enforce
ment Of the existing laws respecting In
toxicating drinks be enjoined upon the
| faculty. and that the president Of the
university be asked to make a state
ment to the students upon the whole
! question at such a time as may suit his
/ convenience.
u came before you this afternoon for
/ the purpose OF carrying out the wishes
/ OF the trustees in respect to the second
I point in the report just referred to. /
| bear grateful testimony to the high
moral tone of the students of this uni-
versity. There never was less reason
for adverse criticism OF Princeton than
! during the period in which 1t has been
so unsparingly bestowed upon us. 1
7 have taken pains TO find out the truth
and / am still unshaken in my convic-
4 tion that the tendency in Princeton is
steadily I'm the direction Of a diminished
use Of alcoholic drinks. Still I must not
! be blind TO the fact. and after making
all allowance for willful misrepresenta-
tion or mistake / am constrained TO be-
| leve that there is far more of what is
called moderate drinking among us than
! the wsest and best friends of Prince
ton would wish, and there are those
among you who are putting their future
I'm peril by the excessive use Of intoXi-
eating drinks.
There Is nothing unnatural in the de-
sire of the trustees for a vigilant en-
forcement Of what has for many years
4 been the law OF the university in regard
to alcoholic liquors. That law is wise
and wholesome. and while I am in full
sympathy with your feeling that the
university man is not to be treated as
though he were in preparatory school
] am ready TO take my fun share OF re-
sponslbility for the report which, as
chairman Of the committee dealing with
the question, 1 made to the board OF
trustees. / am in full sympathy with
the action of the trustees with regard
to the enforcement of the existing law
and feel that the administration OF
that law can be wisely left to the gooC
sense and Christian judgment of the
dean Of this university.
"There are two-Jiasses Of men whom
have particularly In mind-those who
have already fallen into intemperat'
habits and those who are in danger o
forming those habits. I know tina
there are some who do not make mucl
Of the distinction between those TIVE
classes. But the distinction is n vail,
one, and simple justice requires us &
make It. Now, I wish to say tina
drunkenness is practically an unpar
donable sin in our academic life. I d
not forget the duty / owe to men Z
counsel TO warn them and TO labor 70
their Improvement. But with the ut
most desire 10 reclaim the erring an
making every allowance for the mistak
of youth, II must be understood that
man cannot be guilty OF repeated act
of intoxication and continue i'm this uni
yersity IL his offense Is known to tn
authorities
'I am not blind TO the excesses
sometimes see but / think I am some
what correct in supposing-ths is a
least my observation and what / ar
told by men far better able TO judg
than I am-that there is a tendency 5
social life. If not to a diminished use {
y wine, at least to a use of II in dimir
, ished quantity. The man of the world
e social philosophy, unless 1 greatly er
y ls looking in the direction of modera
y tion.
o Let us carry this social philosoph
e a little further, let us denounce cor
e vivlal drinking and let us have a moo
crate use of stimulants in any form.
know I am safe i'm giving you this aC
vice know that II YOU will act upC
n IL e Will be to your advantage. 1t wi
= at least eliminate one OF the contingeI
O cies from the problem Of your succel
e i'm life / should be sorry to see yc
B. start in the great race of life under Il
r handicap Of in repute. You are in Il
morning OF your career. You have
future. Your prospects are bright Bl
great struggle is before you"
l. Murdered While Asleep.
/ HOUSTON. Tex, Jan. si.-While MI
? Mary Beuchloy and daughter we
= asleep the mother was mysterious
llnurdarad THE danrhter was ava