The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1911-11-03
Beer and Morals.

That venerable mother, the univer.
sity of Vermont, has taken unto herself
II new president, Rev. Guy Potter Ben.
ton, sometime of Kansas, more lately of
Ohio, and always, we are glad 10 assume,
Il teototaler. His formal induction was
completed last week and in the course
of the proceedings, the new leader spread
forth his thoughts upon the universe
for all TO hear. Every theory was phrased
in the swift kansan manner, and when
DR.. Benton sat down for the last time
there were few items of learning or adj
minstrati0n or morals upon which he had
not touched vigorously and picturesque.
y.
We make especial note Of his perora.
tion in addressing the senate and facul-
ties of his university. Here he left the
more prosaic topics of pedagogy far be-
hind and scared into this noble climax:
"No more hateful spectacle confronts
advancing civilization than a beer.sip-
ping, 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 predic.
ton in the near coming day when the
American saloon is only a historic tradi.
ton, 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 misunderstanding
from the beginning, that i will not
serve ON teaching body with men who
use intoxicating liquors in any form
Ny responsibility to young
and womanhood for character
ideals is too great to permit me to at |
tempt TO bear the burden of responsible.
lty which / could not escape for a col. /
league who leads an immoral life. -
1t is, of course, delightful of the Rev. |
DR.. Benton to endeavor TO introduce his |
kansan ideals into Burlington, VT. But /
the outsider cannot help wondering what |
the effect must be upon the observing |
students in his charge. Unfortunately
here in the East, the ''near coming
lay when the American saloon is only
/ historic tradition, looks n good piece
Town the road. In the state of Yer
mont itself liquor is still consumed and
~ reasonably moral citizens. we are ad.
Used. As for the American saloon, there
we're said to be 335 liquor dealers, or one
Tor every 1000 of population. in Yer
mont only year or so ago Wet spots
ire discovered even in Burlington itself,
{ is reported on excellent authority.
Now, we cite these shameful facts
Is to the Green Mountain state, not
With any idea of defending them but
imply to suggest the state of mind of
he innocent pupil of DR.. Benton g train.
ng when he steps without the scholastic
walls. He will then find. suddenly and
urely, that the Utopian tenets of his
resident are plain bosh. He will find,
We venture to set down, many most
pillars of Vermont society both
ipping and bibbing and it will suddenly
e staring him in the face that teetotal- /.
SIN does not necessarily go hand in !
and with perfection. Why has not the !
ruth some place in the 'beautiful tenn J
lie of youthful ideals1'