New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-22
CUSTOMS THAT NEED TO BE ABOLISHED

CUSTOMS THAT NEED TO BE ABOLISHED.
If young Kingdom Gould. freshman in Column
bia University fired loaded revolver over the
heads of sOphOmores who were intent on taking
him captive and dragging him off to decorate
their banquet. he made Il mistake, for he might
accidentally have aimed too low. If the re-
volver contained blank cartridges. it became.
nevertheless, the duty of the police TO ascertain
whether or not he was going armed without
permit. In either case, he committed, frcm the
undergraduate point of view. an error of tactics
in adopting such an extreme course of resist
anCe TO a college custom which the students
consider venerable. II he had turned on his
pursuers. put up a stiff fight and yielded. if at
all, only to overwhelming numbers, they would
probably have conceived q high respect for his
prowess and treated him with degree of con-
sideratiOn which would not have made the grac-
ing Of their triumph a painful afiiction. As 1t
is, he is in danger Of finding himself for some
time TO come in Il position of some discomfort.
But there is another side to the case, and 1t
is the one in which the public is chiefly inter
ested. There many kinds and degrees of
ha2ing, The word covers practices to which it
may not be worth while for outsiders TO make
objection and which pretty generally be-
Heyed not without reason, 10 have a salutary
effect on the verdant youths to whom they are
applied Environment and public opinion count
loE Something. III Il small Town when Is more
than half supported by a thriving college the
people may not feel themselves incOmmoded
by the pranks of students, and instead Of re-
senting may rather enjoy them. Moreover the
victims themselves often find curious satisfaC-
ton in contributing to the observance of a col
lege custom, especially when they reflect that it
will be their privilege to discipline interiors the
next year. The chief objection TO making such
concessions 10 academic sentiment is that II IS
next 10 impossible to draw the line, and that the
practice Of haZing inevitably tends to abuses
which cannot be excused anywhere and are In
tolerable in great city
\ sense of self-respect which forbids young
man to submit without resistance TO degrading
treatment, even though he knows that ii does
not signify Ill Will on the part Of his tOrmentors
is not a bad trait; nor, if he chooses to take ad-
vantage of the law of self-defence should it be
forgotten that he has good right as ANYBODY
else to do so; but the truth is that students ought
TO be as fully protected as other persons are
from personal moleStnton. On college campus
the college authorities are bound TO keep the
spirit of license within decent limits and to In
woke assistance from outside If they need If
On public street II is the duty of the police 10
preserve order. The Columbia s0phomores ap-
parently stimulated TO special efforts by their
failure 10 get possession of young Gould spent
n good part OF yesterday in conflicts with other
freshmen Pursuers and pursued swarmed in
the vicinity Of the One-hundred md sixteenth.
ST. subway station, blocked the streetcars and
created what would have been called n riot If
the combatants had not been students AS
matter Of fact, their proceedings were out
rageOus, and the police, instead of looking OH
complacently ought TO have stopped them by
whatever exercise of force svas necessary for
the purpose.
II anybody says that we have no red blood left
OF sympathy with 1ovial young manhood we an
sWer that we have lots Of II, and hot scrjm
mage within the rules Of fair game WAS never
yet regarded with disapproval by The Tribune
But haZing is not that kind Of sport and above
all, the streets of New-York are not suitable
arena for college braws and combats.