.HE NEBRASKAN
Vol. V. No. 21
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, LINCOLN,
MARCH. 5. 1F07.
Pkice 5 Cents.
--
DR. ROSEWATER SPEAKS
Addresses tho Pol. Econ. Club on
"Difficulties of Charter Making."
WAS A SCHOLARLY TREATISE
Ho 1'i.Huntccl Knots with Caroful Pro
clatioi Outltno of tho Various Ele
ments Whloh Aro TroubloBOmo
In Charter Making,
Undei tho auspices of tho Political econ
omy cluli, Dr. Vlotor Rosowftter of Omaha
dd.ven 1 a lcoturo on "The Difncultlos of
City Charter Making" Inst Tuesday oven
ing in ilio university ohapol. Presldont
E, U Perry In a fow words introduced
Dr. Ilosowator said In substance:
In oi'l'T to understand tho difficulties
o( chnru-r making, It Is flnst necessary to
understand what a chnrter is and what
is Its primary off out. Its purpose Is thu
government of a municipality, Into which
enter four lending elemonts. Tho first re
quirement Is n community of people, which
must necessarily exist before there can bo
a munlr.pullty. Second, tho municipality
must be properly organized, Th'rd, It must
submit to tho control of the stu.p, there
must bo subjection to some cenrni auhor
lty .0 which the city Is responsible. The
fourth 1 lenient Is Incorporation nnd al
most every city Is n municipal corporation.
The ong-nnl form of chnrtor making wns
In the form of grants from tho sovereign.
This is the enrlicst way In which charters
were handed down. Tho power of chnrter
jiving Inter wns Invested In pnrllament
ami tho early cononles of America re
ceived their oharters from partlr iint.
After this tho colonial government had
the right of charter making and later still
this ower was given to tho legislature.
Every change In the municipality had to
receive the indorsement of the legislature
This system however was not satisfactory
and lawn were, passed providing incorpor
ations of municipalities by special legis
lation. After this, cities had to bo Incor
porated under general nets of incorpor
ai on
Ths w the llrs. advance in charter
' nuk ik mil the tendoncy wns to do nwny
wi:h in- i,ioriilions !. special legislation.
Hui ill .id not chock thu uliuge of the
pii-m .u.il general nets of Incotporn..on
him- pi.i, eully failed. The clnssitlcn
tion df ci 11 s has practically made or
Kf-ner.ii: inmlp thu acts of the siuni- effect
as u epi c al iic. For Instance, there are
lawn 1 N liruBka providing for cit'es of
thi m. ;t ipii'-.m class, but It might Jut
as s V !-i. c fy Omnhn, as that city Is the
only nun c pulity of thu; clnss.
In Ni York, In regard to whether the
r ties 4hiiu d have absolute home rule or
shouM ii. wholly under the supervision of
the sic. 1 .if legislature tried .o take a
m.dilli KMiiind. This plan did not succeed
vt-r w, 11 li.nvt-ver.
In S.ui Kr.mcisco, another plan bus been
tried The proposed charter may be drawn
up l .1 board of free 'holders and then
su!m;'il ;j ,he peoplo and approved by
'he U hi.iure. The people however, vot
ed ntr.i ix 1 ho charter and so this plan
fa U 1
Tin ;,i i,vhH of charter milking under u
'arm -11. h as Is In force In Cnllforntn nnd
Msn.iui i)as been shortened by not sub
m ' i- li charter to tho approval of the
leRiid.it in., but it Is adopted by tho peo
ple tin mp, Ives.
"" -i a irter was to be formed for an
'deal m uniolpallty, the task would be
comp.ii... vely easy, but there are thous
ands disturbing elements which must
be tuk. n into consideration. New York
for instance Is composed of all classes
and nui.onalltles of peoplo and this Jm
Portnn state of things must bo tuken InU
consideration by New York charter mak
ers, Much of our churtor making is experi
mental. The success of charter making
In one city causes this charter to be Intro
duced in another. It does not meet lm
med.aie success and Is soon dropped.
Thus there Is little certainty as to the
result of what In some localitiei mlgh. bo
a good charter.
Ifdcultles of charter making fall under
Ave heads; partisanship, officialism, con
tactors, frar.chised corporations, and
health or tux shirking. The pernicious
features of pur.isunshlp have been cm
Phasled again and ugaln. But only in
,ew Instances has tho fact been po.nted
ut what tho bano of partisanship Is In Its
elects on charter making. Changes In tho
chartorhave often been made with tho ob
ject of Increasing tho salary of certain of-
fleers who havo been warm partisans of
a cortaln cause,
Changes aro ofton forced upon a city
by a logislaturo Wholly Ignorant of un
mindful of city needs. Partisanship ob
structs changes, vital to munlolpal reform
and ndvocatcs changes detrimental to the
bent Interests of tho olty.
Officialism Is olosoly allied with partis
anship, and Is used for official preserva
tion. This Is ofton manifest when certain
offices1 aro to bo dono away with. TIiIb Is
tho moro dangerous forco, becauso It Is
so difficult of discernment. Tho Intrusion
of franohlscd corporations does not stop
at tho primaries or poles. It has a great
effect on tho making of municipal char
tors. They often force through tho legislature
valuable franchises in splto of tho protosts
of tho public. These corporations work
not only through private ngonts but
through public officials and political par
ties. Tho Influenco of franchlscd corpor
ations Is to advocate favorable legislation
and to opposo unfavorable legislation.
Tho contractor Is also ablo to tako a
hand In charter making. The contrac
tors In different line of business com
blno nnd exert a great deal of Influenco
In forming that part of tho charter which
nffects their Interests.
Wo must also tako Into account tho dis
position of a certain class to shirk tax
es. Tills class always opposes any at
tompt to establish a. tax commission which
would to some extent remedy this ev.l.
Tho power of a municipality to Impose
licenses or foes, 'has caused tho porsons
taxed to opposo such tax, and these peo
plo comblno In thoir dlfferont Interosts.
Tho hesult Is that they aro lnvinclblo from
lack of a counter organization.
A charter bill Is usually framed under
tho supervision of a citizens' committee.
Here is whoro the first conflict takes placo
as the committee Is composed of men of
all occupations and their business Inter
ests clash A second squabble takes place
in the committee of the legislature. A
third chance for Interruption occurs when
tho charter is tnken before tho committee
of the upper house and there Is s.lll (moth
er chance If It Is recomm'tted. Such steps
In the muklng of a charter aro points of
great dungur. and the fewer of them tin
bet. or.
The acceptance or rcjficioii of a o.ty
chnrter should not bo allowed to have any
weight, but the tux payers should bu the
llnnl Judge of It. T'loro . only one way
in whloh to bring the c.ty chnrter to the
condition of absolute home rule and that
is by making the frnmors of the charter
responsible to tho tuxpayois.
HOW WE STAND.
Professor Uatus saws some pret.y nice
things in an article In thu Outlook about
the university of Nebraska. Extracts
from his article follow.
Tho universl.y of Nebraska .h but twenty-seven
years old, yet it hus over twelvo
hundred students In college clatses; and
thu last remnant of Its preparatory school,
a rudimentary appendage, w.ll be dropped
at .he end of this year, lis bu.ldlngs,
six In all, Include besides the regular lect
ure rooms, a modern library well equ.pped
chemical, physical and electrical luhor
utor.es, nnd a large gymnnslum. It has a
faculty of over a hundred men, graduates
of tho tlrst universities of this country nnd
Europe. In shor., In numbers, both of
students and faculty in all the externals
of scholarship, It ranks ahead of Pr.nce
ton, Brown, or Amherst, and stands ap
proximately on a level with the .Massa
chusetts Ins.itute of Technology.
Yet we of the east know that numbers
und size are no cr.torlon. We usk Instinct
ively, "Bui Is this great school a 'un.ver
sity"? Does .. not teach, under the name,
only what Is taught In our eastern h.gh
schools and ucudemlesV" This ciuestlon
is eas.ly answered. Tho examlnat.ons for
entrance equal, even exceed In severity
those for admission to Vale or Harvard.
Indeed, trigonomo.ry and solid geometry,
not required In the latter are required .n
Nebraska. In classics and modern lung,
uages tho requirement Is severe. And the
average ago for entering is the same as In
collies In the ensw
In the beginning the university of Ne
braska had comparatively little either of
accurate scholarship or of lnsplr.ng cul.
ture. It began In the seventies, ut a paint
at which tho eastern colleges wero at thu
beginning of the century, There was lit
tle attempt to teach more than was con
ventionally expec.ed In collego Instruc-1
tion. There was, Indeed, little call for
more. Tho west was then plowing its I
(Continued on fourth page.)
PREPARE FOR SENIOR PROM
Class of '97 Holdf an Important
Meeting and Tajiks Business.
THE COMMENCEMENT MATTERS
Tho Presldont rules Tint n "Slate" noes
not Go and Memb rs of tho Com
mltteo are Solccitcd Separate
ly Othor C mmlttocs.
Tho class of '97 held
nn Important meot-
ing last Tuesday In
room .1, university
hall. President Phillj
rick in calling the
mooting to order staled that its object
was to start several
projects which pre-
vlous classes hud us
Jnlly left until too
lato to mako them str-cessful. The com-
mlttco on clnss piny hnd nothing to ro
port as yet, but It Is i
ndorstnod that con-
sldornblo progress has
Ing tho play.
been made In writ-
On motion power v as given the pros
dont to appoint a. e, mmlttce of flvo to
look aftor tho commencement printing.
Tho members of tho 'committee wero; G.
F. Warron, chalrmat, Misses Guile, and
Ilclso, Messrs Korsmiycr nnd Nlenhois.
Aftor tho .regular rorm had been com
plied with tho prosldmt appointed tho fol
lowing as a committeo to mako arrange
ments for "Senior photographs"; H. E.
Reagan, chairman, Miss O'Sulllvan and
Clmrlcs Kuhlman.
Mr. Uowe then t)ok tho floor and
brought up tho subject of tho senior prom.
Ho stated that heretofore the classes had
given the prom so Into In tho spring that
tho weather was to warm for comfort.
Furthor tho tlmo at, commencement is so
filled that it would bo wise to get this
ovent out of tho way at an earlier date
than usual. '
In view of theso fails he moved that the
class give their prom April 23. This mo
tion was seconded and curried. Mr. Shedd
then proposed 'a'tfiit'iHtttmeB for the com
mitteo to take chargo of the arrangements
for tho prom, and moved tho election of
those names. The president ruled such a
n.ot'on out of order s the committee
could be chosen either by the president or
elected one nt n .Ime by the clnBB. Th
motion was then cnrrled that the clnss
proceed to tho election of said commit
tee. R. H. Manley was elected chairman.
The o.her members were: Misses Griggs
and Camp, Messrs. Rlcketts, Cameron.
Howe, Gr'ggs, Llndquest, Packard nnd
Wilson.
Tho mattor of tickets for commencement
wns then discussed a committee appoint
ed to confer wi.h the powers that be In
regard to this; Alexander, chairman, Miss
Rhodes and Leo C. Smith were appointed.
Severnl members stated that they would
l.ko to purchase a clnss pin und It wns de
cided to see the Jeweler who had ordered
tho pins In regard to ordering a new sup
ply. The committee was Cumeron, chair
man, Miss Byam and Count Lindqucst.
The young Indies were Invited to re
main nfter adjournment. At this nf.er
meeting the co-eds accepted the invitation
of Misses Anne and Jessie Spurck to spend
Saturday exening at thoir home In North
Lincoln.
TH10 LAW OF LIBEL.
D. M. Uutler of the Nebraska Ix-gul
News spoke before the class In Journalism
Thursday and Tuesday, on the law of 1 -bol.
Ho succeeded in making clear to the
mombors what Is not generally understood
In u great many newspaper ofllces. Ho
said tliflt llbo) may beflned us a censor
ious or ridiculous writing or picture made
with a mischievous and malicious intent
.owards governmentes governments or In
dividuals It is not necessary to charge
a person with a crimo of any kind but If
nn article holds a man up to ridicule it
Is sufflolent forn libel suit. The fact that
tho published urciclu is true does not ex
empt It from being libellous, It must also
bo proven that it was not printed with
ovil Intent. In iho case of publlo ofllclnls
tho right to criticise is moro privileged
than In the case of Individuals,
To avoid tho libel suit, tho publisher
must bo sure that ho prints but the truth.
Ho should never give publication to a
charge made by a third person unless ho
knows the facts. Especially is this true
whnn an irresponsible person mnkus the
churge.
ABOUT THE SOMBRERO.
Tnere hs "een a Breat amount of mis-
understanding In regard'to the Annual of
late. The question Is being asked dally,
S
"When will tho Annual bo out?" Another
question Is, "Is it too Into for copy?" Now
lot us say to theso people and all others
that tho Sombrero of 'OS is coming oui
sure nnd that before wry long, but thoro
Is a. great amounc of work to bo dono In
tho meantime nnd tho clnss of 'OS In par
ticular and tho college In general must us
slst If they would do aredlt to themselves
nnd the unlvursi.y.
In muny departments the book Is f.tll,
but In others thero is yot grout gnps to
till. It Is not yot too Into to hnnd In good
copy, especially such as docs not require
Illustration, and It Is such copy that is
most needed now. Tho proposition wo
wish to mnke is this: every Junior can llnd
ft Joke, funny Illustration or some
ono or somo thing, or perhaps something
tha; has sentiment In It; and ho enn cither
llx his llnd up, or got someono else who
can do It, nnd then ho enn turn In his
mlto to holp mnko tho book which ho in
tends to show to 1.1s rolatlvin nnd friends
and sny, 'Our clnss go; this book out.'
Now Miss Junior or Mr. Junior, can you
do that with a clear conscience if you
havon't dono a blessed thing to help?
Don't sny you can't do onyth'ng good
enough. If you cun; find u good thing
and toll someone who enn wrlto it nnd
you will bo doing Just us well.
Then to tho other students of tho unl
vorslty, you nro Interested too. Can't you
lend a hand? Your help would bo appre
ciated. To make tho Sombrero Interest
ing to all parts of the university, thero
must bo contributions from nil parts, nnd
this enn only bo had by ge.tlng students
from all parts Interested In It. Do some
thing and holp to make this Sombrero a
credit to tho university.
With regard to copy from organizations
which ahvo already cnguged space, this
must como In at once. If It Is not In by
next Wednesdny the srmco will probably
bq filled by other matter for a large part
of this is such ma.ter as requires more
accurate proof reading and moro consul
tation etc., before It is finally reudy for
tho press and wo must got It into typo
Immedin.ely.
Wo do not wish to Imply by this thnt thu
Sombrero board have not accomplished
anything ns yet, for they huve done a
great deal nnd there Is mii.erinl enough
now for n very creditable Sombrero bu.
It in not gencrul enough tnd wo must hnve
moro to choose from.
Allow us to closo with u llnnl nppcal to
tho loyal. y of the class of 'OS, and the
pride of the student body In affairs of the
university. Respectfully,
WILL L. McKAY
P. J. P.ARRON
Editors-in-chief.
SIGMA ALPH8 ENTERTAIN.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity enter
tnined u few of choir lady friends Satur
day evening by an Informal dance. The
hnll wns tnstcfully decorated with the
fraternity colors and palms. Music was
furnished by Miss Willoughby. Mr. and
Mrs. Slaughter chaperoned the party.
Those present were: Misses Risser, Wat
kins, Sluughter, Cropscy, Farwell, Har
ley, Nance, Houtz, Lonnio Stunrt, Han
sen, Iowe, Woods, Lansing, Anna Stunrt,
Cnrscadden, Hargreaves, Outcult and
Messrs. Green, Farwell, Corby, White, E.
Sawyer. R. Sawyer. Haynoy, Dufresno,
Morrill, Harmon, Davidson Clupp, Wort-ester,
Ivonney, Reugun, Hurtle. t, Hntlleld
und Stopher.
WISCONSIN'S UNIVERSITY.
The Investigation of tho affairs of tho
university of Wisconsin by a legislative
committeo ehowa that the university has
overdrawn Its account at tho state treas
ury to the amount of $145,044.76, says the
New York Tribune. The Investigation
was begun ut tho request of certain cltl
zons who want President Charles Kendall
Adams to resign, and It may possibly have
that result The dissatisfaction with Dr,
Adams aroso soon after ho became presl
dont, according to tho Chicago Record,
when It wns discovered that he was under
contract to edit an encyclopedia. Tho re
gents of the unlvorslty, knowing of this
contract, agreed that he should not be
obliged to glvo more than two hours a day
to tho duties of the presidency. For this
ho was to recolvo J7.DO0 a year and house
rent. For his llvo years' services on tho
encyclopedia ho was to receive $40,000. It
Is now said that ho did not give oven two
hours a day to his college duties, and It
Is felt by many that ho ought to resign
In the Interests of tho university.
George Constancer's barber shop is lo
cated at 1010 O street. Four of the best
workmen In tio city aro to be found here. '
THE ORATORICAL CONTEST
Will Bo Hold in tho University Chapel
This Evening.
EVERYTHING IN READINESS
The ProHTiim !m Vnrled by Musical Sel
ections nnd 1s Hound to be Interest
ing Personell of tho Orn
tors The Program.
Tho oratorical association will hold forth
this ovoning In the ehupol. The orntor to
ropresont tho university In the stnte con
test will bo chosen. Tho orntlons huvo been
In tho hnnds of the Judges on mnnuscrlpt
for over n. week and those who havo scon
them say' that .hoy are on the wholo, tho
best ever presented.
Tho contestnnts this your are especially
strong. R. C. Roper who came Into prom
inence suddenly by winning tha Palladlan
Chaso and Wheeler contest Is an excellent
speaker of whom tho Palludlans are
proud. Miss Esther V. Smoycr, a member
of the elocution department and of tho
English club, has a good local reputation.
A. L. Deal who is n new student 'n tho
universl.y this yenr, a member of tho Ju
nior class, will undoubtedly hold his own
nmong the others with whom university
students aro better ncqunlnted. He haa
won many prizes from dlfforcnt schools
olsowhere. The law school w'll bo repre
sented by C. O. Brown nnd J. D. Donnt
son. Mr. Brown's orntlon on "John Ad
nms" will bo of an Interesting nature.
The Union society as well as the debat
ing club will be represented by G. 13. ling
er, who hnB won first plnco In the Union
society contest.
J. D. Dennlson who Is one of tho three
debaters who are to go to Kansas Is picked
out as tho winner by many who know him.
His oration Is reported as being excellent.
There Is some objection to Mr. Dennl
son entering tho content ns tho const'tu
tlon of the stnto orntorlcnl association pro
vides that ;he contestnnts shall be an un
dergraduate student of an academic col
lego. Mr. Dennlson hold his degree from
nn lown institution nnd also, Is not nn
nendemic student or Is he in the law
school.
Ho probably will not be bnrred from
on.ering tho locnl contest. Following Is
tho program.
Instrumental music Idenl Mndoliu ciuo.
Oint:on The Author Hero of the Revol
ution, R. C. Roper.
Oration The Prnctlcnl Truth of Thcos
ophy, A. L Deal.
Oration Herr Slohzch, Esther V. Smoycr.
Vocal solo Miss Barnaby.
Orntlon Municipal Reform, G. E. Hager.
Oration A Triumphant Democracy, J. D.
Dennison.
Judges on mnnuscrlpt; Professors Wolf,
Shormnn nnd W. O. Jones: on deliver".
Judgo Field, Superintendent Snylor and
Professor Wilson of the inw school.
LANCASTER COUNTY TEACHERS.
The tenchors of Lancnster county hod
their educntlonnl mooting In the 'univer
sity tomorrow. Chancellor MacLean and
Professor Luckey aro among the apoakcrj.
The Chancellor will mako tho address to
tho afternoon session, and in the forenoon
Professor Luckey will speak on "Recent
changes In education."
Tho school of mechanic nrt3, under tho
direction of Professor F.!ch?rds will be
open to visitors from 8 to 10:30 a ir,,, where
tho students who ore taking the u-gulnr
oourso may bo seen at work at the forgo
nnd lathe, learn'ng practical mechanics.
Othor dopar;ments will be open, und uni
versity guides will show ylsltors througn
tin- museum.
The following Interesting stntlstlcs con
corning six leading Institutions were re
cently published by tho Berkleyun of the
unlvorslty of California.
1. Amounts Invested in build. ngsOai -fornla
spent $64(5,000 with l,fi.V students,
Ullno's spoilt $070,000 with Jilfi students.
Missouri spent $64n,COO with 723 students.
Michigan spent $951,000 with 2,001 students
Minnesota spont $l,02G.fi00 with 2,100 stu
dents; Wisconsin sp-ni $1,109,(T0 w th 1 COO
studonts.
2. Provision made for curren: expensis
Nobraskn, 1,100 s-udents, fvfte: Wisconsin
l.COO students, 4Hc; Colorado, 207 students
2o,, Michigan, 2.H22 students, 1 2-3"; Wy
oming, 85 studonts. Itye; Ohio, Ofiif) students
lo; Indiana 879 s udents, 2 3c.
3. Annual Incomes und number of stu
dentsHarvard. $1,093,846 with 3 COO stu
donts; Yale, $729,681 with 2,000 s'udents,
Cornell, $525,703 w'th UOO students; Col
umbia. $1,283,870 with 1,800 students; Mich
igan, $403,697 with 2.900 studonts; Wiscon
sin, $400,000 with 1.600 students. Chlcngo,
$578,8C8 with 1,881 students; Cnrfornln, $2C0,
601 with 2,274 students.
