The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-11-02
Reer and Morals

That venerable mother, the Univer-
sity Of Vermont, has taken unto ner'
self a new president, Rev. Guy Potter
Benton. sometime of Kansas, more
lately of Ohio. and always. we are
glad to assume, teetotaler. HIS
formal induction was completed last
week and in the course OF the pro-
ceedings, the new leader spread forth
his thoughts upon the universe Tor
all to hear Every theory was phras.
ed in the swift Kansan manner, and
when DR.. Benton sat down for the
last time there were few Items OF
learning or administration or morals
upon which he had not touched vi
gorously and picturesquely.
We make especial note OF his per-
Grafton in addressing the senate and
faculties OF his university. Here he
left the more prosaic topics OF ped
agogy far behind and scared into
this noble climax:
mo more hateful spectacle con-
fronts advancing civilization than a
beer-sipping, wine-bibbing college or
university professor He is hateful
because he is incongruous. More
than that, he is hateful because OF
the havoc he works as an iconoclast
( In the beautiful temple Of youthful
ideals. II Is a safe prediction In the
near coming day when the American
saloon is only historic tradition
that the college professor who drinks
in public or in private will not be
! tolerated beyond the meeting OF the
board of trustees next succeeding his
discovery and / should say to you In
perfect candor at this time, In order
that there may be no misunderstand-
ing from the beginning, that l will
not serve on teaching body with
men who use intoxicating liquors In
any form whatsoever My responsi.
bility to young manhood and woman.
hood for character ideals is too great
to permit me to attempt to bear the
burden OF responsibility which ]
could not escape for colleague who
leads an immoral life"
It is. OF course, delightful OF the
Rev. DR.. Benton to endeavor to IN
froduce his Kansan ideals into Bur
lington, VT. But the outsider cannot
ae.p wondering what the effect mus
be upon the observing students IL
his charge. Unfortunately here IL
the East, the near coming day wher
the American saloon Is only a his
toric tradition" looks a good piece
down the road. In the state OF Yer
mont itself liquor is still consumed
and by reasonably moral citizens W,
are advised. AS for the American
saloon, there were said to be 1886 liz
uor dealers or one for every 1890 o.
population, In Vermont only q yeal
or so ago. Wet spots are discovered
even In Burlington itself. II is report
ed on excellent authority.
Now, we cite these shameful fact,
as to any Green Mountain state, moi
with any idea OF defending them
but simply to suggest the state Of
mind OF the innocent pupil OF DR.
Benton's training when he steps
without the scholastic walls. He
will then find, suddenly and surely
that the Utopian tenets OF his pres
ident are plain bosh. He will flnd
we venture to set down, many most
estimable pillars Of Vermont society
both slipping and bibbing and Il will
suddenly be staring him In the face
that teetotalism does not necessarily
so hand In hand with perfection
why has not the truth some place
In the beautiful temple OF youthful
ideals?'--New York Sun.