The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-14
cOMpULsoRYBEER DRINKING.
Novel Temperance Lecture BY the
Rector of the University OF Bonn.

Novel Temperance Lecture BY the
Rector of the University OF Bonn.
Paris correspondence of the Courier
des Etats Unls: 1t Is not in the United
States alone that the question Of alcO-
holism troubles those who think SER
lously of the welfare, the health. and
the strength of the young population.
Germany has now fallen in line, and a
leader in the movement against excess
is the rector of the University of Bonn.
Herr Rooster. The following is an ex-
tract from an address which he deliv-
cred recently to the students:
I'VE. your elders, cannot remain In
different TO anything which concerns
your welfare. It is regard for the fu-
ture which confers upon the rector the
right and the duty to advise and exhort
the students who are beginning their
academic life, On former occasion /
deemed It my duty to defend the Ger
man students against the charge that
they were living dissolute lives. To-
day do the same thing, notwithstand-
ing the repeated cries Of alarm in re-
gard to their drunkenness, in which
Of the complete degeneration Of the
educated classes.
"The drunkard's code or tank law
(sautcommenD. was not invented by
the students. That Germans get drunk
according to established rules is his
torical fact which we are obliged to adj
NIT, and which existed long before Tao
titus referred to It. But, although Ger.
mans turned the habit Of drinking into
q sort Of worship, the fact that they
have retained their Vlgor and their
depth Of thought clearly shows that
this worship or code Is not in itself the
cause OF the moral, intellectual and
physical degeneTacy which oozes
through the walls OF our refOrmatories
and Insane asylums.
I'm my personal and sad experience
have noticed that many students whom
drink had completely ruined were not
the victims Of the drinking code. They
were the victims Of the passion for
drink for which there Is no law. To
the drinking custom in the gay and
joyous circles there can be objection,
because the rules for the thing possess
charms and poetry, Just like beautiful
verses, music and the fine arts. And.
as In poetry, rhythm and metre give
movement to the heavy verb. so In the
scansion OF the habit Of drinking there
is brought about a sort Of intellectual
mobilization in the social life Of the
narrow circles in which the students
are confined.
But during the last ten years there
has been enacted in many associations
OF students an idiOtic beer code which
all must obey, and which prescribes a
certain quantity for each man. The
thing Is so utterly devoid OF reason,
sense and the spirit Of good fellowship
that 1t seems to be the product Of imbe-
cllIty pure and simple. 1t is difficult to
understand how the German student, so
proud and Jealous Of his academical lib
erty. could become the slave Of such a
stupid thing as compulsory drunken
ness. He not only sacrifices his profess
sIonal honor. but his physical and NOR
nj sanity to idiOtIc formulas which rob
him Of everything. including even the
taste for drinking. The whole thing Is
nothing but fanfaronnade. You have
the right to enllven your reunions by
everything that can bring to them In
nocent gaity.
Drink Is good for the vivihcntion and
the renovation OF the human organism.
It enlnrges the heart and the soul, and
It Is beneficial when It tends to gladden.
and strengthen the social system. But
its utility ceases when through compul-
sion 1t transforms the gatherings Of
students into contests in drunkenness
where the newcomers rapidly fall
among the cadavers OF beer.
II believe. gentlemen. that many as
sociatIons have abolished compulsory
drinking during the last few years, and
hope that their good example will be
followed. Our nation needs strong men
not feeble snts. the RlnYes Of beer"