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2
THE HESPERIAN,
HE evidence in the contest over the election of
state officers which is now being collected
shows one thing quite plainly that the thugs and
saloon bummers of Omaha particularly, had possession
of that city on election day. Those working in favor
of the amendment were driven from the polls and
subjected to all kinds of insults. If this had hap
pened in any city of the South, a great many of
Omaha's loyal Republicans would hold up their
hands in holy horror and demand that some stringent
election law be passed immediately. Will the peo
ple of this state, then, allow such a condition of affairs
to continue? It may be safe to say that the next ses
sion of the legislature will adopt the Australian ballot
system or some similar measure. This will perhaps
be sufficient to insure an honest election; and it is
greatly to be regretted that such a system ot voting
had not been adopted for the last election. Until
some improvement is made in the manner of conduct
ing elections there can be small reason to expect a
free ballot and a fair count in some cf our large cities.
G LTHOUH it is only about three months until
fiV the state contest, the students of this insti
tution haVfe as yet, not made any preperations for it.
All the other colleges of the state association, have,
or will hold their home contests this term; but as yet
there is nothing that would show to an observer that
we have any such organization us a local orator
ical association. If this lack of interest is to con
tinue, it might be in order to ask if there is much
hope that we shall capture the first prize in the
coming state contest. We regret very much to see
this lack of interest. Inter-collegiate contests are
productive of much good to all students who are
thus brought into contact. Birt while much good
is to be derived from such contests when properly
managed, certainly there is not much use for the
students of any college to remain in connection with
with an oratorical association unless they make an
effort at least once in a while to win. Let the local
association stir itself and that without delay. If we
are to be well represented at the next contest, it will
iDe necessary to wake up.
HE term, now drawing to a close, has been on
the whole, one of great prosperity for the lit
erary societies. Good and desirable members have
been secured, and prospects for the future were never
brighter. The Greeks have added somewhat to their
total membership; but this was to be expected on ac
count of the greatly increased attendance at the Uni
versity. But though somewhat stronger in members
than they were last year, the fraternities are evident
ly a little lacking in enterprise this year The cus
tomary annual attempt to resurrect the defunct Phi
lodicean society has not yet materialized, and the
threats to establish a paper which should represent
their interests, so freely indulged in last year, are
heard no more. Perhaps still water runs deep, and
we only hope that it does. Nothing could possibly
help the barbarian cause here more than the estab
lishment of a fiat paper. For this reason we would
welcome the advent of a supposed rival; but at the
same time, we could not promise that Us voyage
upon the sea of college urnalism would be entirely
smooth sailing. One-thing has been demonstrated
within the last year barbs may not agree upon some
important matters, tl.ey ma even develop consid
erable hostility for each other, but yet in opposition
to frats, they can all unite and remain united.
OME of our frats will, occasionally, in moments
of delusion, make the assertion that they take
only the best men; and by best men that they do
not mean those with the largest bank accounts, but
those of really superior abilities; that while it may
be the practice of fraternities in the East to take
men on account of their money, athletic propen
sities, or popularity, that the practice is reversed in
the U. of N., and only intellectual men are sought.
They, have also made the assertion that they do lit
erary work in the fraternities of superior quality, and
that their method of criticism is quite the best.
We do not wish to dispute these assertions, but
would like to see them proved b,y results. In other
colleges we sometimes hear of the frats having an
honor man, we sometimes hear of them winning on
an oratorical contest; but in the University of Ne
braska we have yet to see a frat competing for or
atorical honors. Having the best men, with the
training that only frats can give, they are manifestly
doing themselves a wrong and injuring the Univer
sity by not entering the contests. If their assertions
be true, then they have only to enter a contest, and
victory will perch upon their banners. But the very
fact that they have refrained from entering contests
is in itself significant. Either they have not the best
men, or else they discourage literary work; either
frat nature is not human nature, or else a frat man,
knowing his ability to win, would compete. That
they do not is a sad commentary on their literary
activities, their intellectual aspirations.
After one of our defeats, a frat man took the oc
casion to write a chapter letter to his frat quarterly,
in vuiv.u uc &uiu inai u was. sign meant that in the
contest the University was not represented by a frat,
thus intimating that it was not to be expected that a
barb could win such a contest. Then, by all means,