Ztbe Steils IRebraekan
Vol. VIII. No. 58.
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, LINCOLN, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1908.
Price 5 Cent.
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NEBRASKA DEFEAT8
ILLINOI8
BUT L08E8 TO WISCONSIN.
HOME DEBATE GREAT SUCCESS
Decision Here on Contest 2 to 1 for
Cornhuskers, But at Madison It
Is Unanimous for the
Badgers.
In the annual triangular debates
held last night Nebraska representa- '
lives won and iost.( At Lincoln the
contest with Illinois was won by a l
2 to 1 decision for the Cornhuskers,
but at Madison the contest with Wis
consin went against them by a unani
mous vote of the three judges.
The question debated was, "Ite
Bolved, That American cities uhould
adopt a commission form of govern
ment." Nebraska had tho negative
Bide at Wisconsin and the alllrmativc
at Lincoln.
By a 2 to 1 decision Nebraska won
the debate with Illinois last nignt.
Outclassing the Nebraska speakers in
delivery with brilliant bursts of ora
tory the Illinois debators proved
worthy foes and the deptsion was in
doubt until trie third ballot of the
judges had been recorded.
Greeted "by an enthusiastic crowd of
Bcarlet and cream supporters, the six
representatives oT The Unhoisity of
Nebraska and the University of Illi
nois dlscusBcd the question of commis
sion form of government, Nebraska
arguing upon the alllrmatlve. The de
bate was held in .Memorial hall and
the large room was appropriately dec
orated with the orange and black of
Illinois and The scarlet nnu cream of
Nebraska. Coming at a time as it
did, when residents of Lincoln are
discussing the adoption or the com
mission form ol go eminent, the de
bate attracted not only the attention
of a majority of the student body but
was also attended by a number of
prominent buslnebs men and members
of the commercial club of this city.
Seated in Sections.
Prior to the debate a number of
selections by the university band
served to keep the expectant audience
In good "humor. George L. Sheldon,
goverpor of Nebraska, presided and
while awaiting tho decision of tho
Judges delivered a short address. Ab
planned by the management, each col
lege In the university was seated In
a separate section, so that tho laws
and the academic stuflents attended
the debate in a body. The first few
rows were reserved for members of
tho faculty. As usual a largo delega
tion of students from the Btate farm
attended the debate, occupying a sec
tion by themselves.
Following a twelvo-mlnuto argumen
tative speech, each of the six speak
ers was given a five-minute rebuttal
speech. The judges were Prof. I. H.
Loos, professor of political economy
and sociology in the University of
Iowa; Honorable Parker H. Holbrook,
regent of ineowa state school, and
Judge H. E. Deemer, justice of tho
Iowa supreme court.
Tho Nebraska representatives were
J. D. Bednar, '08, law '10; Dean Drls-
coll, '05, law '11, and Ross W. Bates,
' '09. Tho Illinois debators wore S. N.
Thompson, '09; It. B. Frizzle, '10,
and J. C. HerbBtman, 01, law '09.
Bednar Opens Debate.
For Nebraska, J. B. Bednar opened
tho debate by defining the issue. Ho
thought that tho question was "Tho
best method of obtaining an honest
and efficient administration of munic
ipal affairs.'" Contending that city
government In the United States was
notoriously corrupt, he could see no
nosslblo chance for reform under the
mayor and council system. By doing
away with the ward politician, and
by giving the people greater power in
tho administration of the affairs of tho
city, the commission plan will afford
rollof. In nine cities tho commission
plan has been tried with signal suc
cess. Sixteen state legislatures have
declared In favor of It.
Objecting to tho analysis which Ne
braska had made of tho question, S. N.
(Thompson of Illinois, wanted to know
If Nebraska intended all cities In tho
country, regardless of size. If not,
how many cities wore Included and of
what size. Insisting ,that under tho
system of mayor and "council, tho ef
ficiency was the same as under tho
proposed commission plan. Tho evils
In city government, ho believed, to bo
due to a large foreign population and
to the Influence of national politics
on municipal affairs.
In clear cut language, Dean Drlscoll,
Nobruslca'H second speaker, declared
that American cities were corrupt to
the core, and that for fifty years all
efforts to corroct the abuses had been
of no avail, instead of the influences
which tho Illinois representative
thought responsible for Inefficient gov
ernment, ho Insisted that three forces
were responsible; namely, the saloon,
the ward politician and the officials
who are now holding office under tho
old corrupt system. Asserting that
the council did not offer opportunities
for the ordinary man, Mr. DriBColl ad
vanced the argument that commission
government provides for an enlarge
ment of municipal activities.
Executive not Legislative.
H. is. Frlzell of Illinois argued 'that
the abolition of ward lines under tho
commission plan would be a positive
danger. The corruption i In the city life
Is not traceable to the mayor and
,.,, HVt, illlt w ,. .oHiilt of
outside influences. But by opening
up new avenues the commission plan
would mean the opportunity for great
er frauds and deceptions In the man
agement ot the municipal affairs. He
claimed that the affairs of the city
could best be administered by two sep
arate bodies, one with executive pow
ers and the other with legislative
powi rs.
Ross Hates of Nebraska took issue
with the preceding speaker upon the
question of executlvo and legislative
departments being separated. lie
thought that the management of city
government was largely an executlvo
duty and fiiat Hie "board should have
an 'executive function rather than leg
islative. Those legislative details
could be taken care of by tho exec
utive ofllclals.
Mr. Herbstman of llljnols insisted
that the city had need or legislative
relorms, and that It would be Impos
sible to secure these reforms unless
the executive and legislative depart
ments were separate. Quoting Mr.
Woodiuff, president of the League of
Municipal affairs, to the effect that
municipal government was impioving,
he contended that the present system
was adequate.
Population, accoidlng to Mr. Herbs
stman. played an Important part, and
while the commission plan may have
proved a success In many of tho small
er cities, yet it would not work in a
densel populated region, where tho
affairs were complicated. Ho was a
brilliant speaker and was enthusias
tically applauded at the conclusion of
hi sspeech.
Rebuttal Speeches.
At the closo of tho argumentative
speeches, each contestant was allowed
five minutes for reTmttal, the debators
speaking In the following order:
Thompson, Bednar, Flzzell, Bates,
Herbstman and Drlscoll. Tho rebuttal
speeches centered upon a discussion
as to whether municipal government
had been corrupt and as to tho separ
ation ot the legislative and legal de
partments. While waiting Tor the decision or
the judges, Governor George Sheldon
dollvorod a short addross in which ho
urged the students of the university
to support debating, as they had ath
letics. "Postpone all social events," de
clared the governor, "which come
upon that evening and support tho
men who spent six months of their
time in preparing upon tho question."
At the announcement of tho decision
tho friends of tho debators rushed to
tho platform to congratulate tho
Bpeakors upon the high quality of work
which was displayed.
Wisconsin Wins.
At the University of Wisconsin a
unanimous decision was given in fa
vor of tho University or Wisconsin.
The judges complimented the work
of the NobraBka men ' In the highest
terms and declared that It was of a
very high quality. Tho Wisconsin
team consisted of M. F. Appel, G. W.
Blanchard and G. Mushen. The Ne
braska team was composed of J. T.
Votava, J. L. Rice and S. P. Dobbs.
NEBRASKANS JUDGE DEBATE.
Six Men From Lincoln Officiate in
Inter-collegiate Debate.
Six residents of Lincoln, four of
whom are professors in the univer
sity, were Judges last night on the
intor-colleglato debating circuit.
Strangely enough all of these judged
contests In which Iowa was one of
the contestants. Professors Howard,
and Taylor, and Albert Watklns ofllcl
atpd at the Minnesota-Iowa debate.
Tho Wlsconsln-Iowa contest was
judged by Professor H. H. Wilson,
Dean Ward and Judge Sedwlck of tho
state supreme court.
Tho Dally Iowan, In commenting on
the judges, calls attention to the fact
tVinf nil oa ftrfcYt WVin also hrtf At.
presses satisfaction and strongly com
mends the Individuals. .-
LISTEN TO APPEALS
REGENTS REFSR ATHLETIC CON
TROL SCHEME TO COMMITTEE.
ACTION WILL BE TAKEN TODAY
Avery, Abbott and Allen Have Full
Power to Decide Matter Dis
senting Btudents Propose
Some New1 Resolutions.
The Nebraska board of regents at a
meeting held at the Paxton hotel In
Omaha yesterday morning took up tho
matter of creating the ofllco of a uni
versity athletic director and levying
a Bemesteral gymnasium fee of $1
and referred it to a special committee
composed of (Tiancellor-olect Samuel
Avery, Regents Charles Allen and
Fred Abbott. The committee was
given full power to Investigate the nd
vlsabllity or adopting tho proposed
plan and to accept or reject It. Tho
action or this committee will be taken
today. The contentions or tho students
who oppose tho scheme will bo inves
tigated and a fair hearing given to
both sides. ... ,
Petition Before Board.
The tietltlons requesting the re
gents to delay action on tho recom
mendations were laid before tho board
while it was in session yostorday
morning. These petitions bore tho
names of several hundred students
and had the effect of keeping the reso
lutions of the athletic bonrd from be
ing rushed through to final action
before the regents had been advised
ot all the condition! surrounding tho
proposed scheme.
Regent Charles Allen was one of the
first members or the board of regents
to seo the Injustice of making such
a radical chango In the control of ath
letics without giving due consideration
to the needs of the university games.
He said before the meeting that the
petitions of the students should re
celve his strict attention and that ho
believed It advisable to defer action
until a later time. When tho matter
went before tho board no attempt was
made to niBh the resolutions through
nnd they were without much discus
sion, referred to a special committee
of three, which will act today.
New Resolutions Made.
Tho student members who voted
against the recommendations of tho
chancellor In the meeting of the ath
letic board Wednesday afternoon have
drafted a now set of resolutions which
they believe contain all the requests
of tho original, which was taken bo
roro tho regents yesterday, but at the
same time make , every point plain.
The main objection or the student
members to the present resolutions is
that they do not define explicitly juBt
what powers tho athletic director 1b
to have. They believe that the first
set of resolutions will give tho ath
lqtlc director too much power over
the university sports. This is tho
ground they have made their light on.
Now thoy have drafted a now sot
of resolutions which they claim con
tain the samo recommendations that
wore made by the chancellor, but
state clearly what functions each of
the athletic board, tho athletic direc
tor and the athlotlc manager shall
have. Thoy want tho board anil man
ager to retain their present powers
and not to any of thoso delegated to
the holder o-he proposed office of
athlotlc director.
Coach for All Year.
In their resolutions these students
also recommend that, after the season
of 1909 a single coach bo hlre(Tfor
both football and baseball and that
his services bo at the disposal of the
university for tho entire school year.
Teh student members who drew up
the new resolutions will sign them
this morning and will then ubIc all the
other members of the board to approve
them. The recommendations will
then be taken before tho regents com
mittee and thp request' mado that thoy
be substituted for the oglrlnal resolu
tions. Tho student members do not be
lieve that Dr. Clapp or any of the
other faculty member's' who supported,
tho first resolutions will oppose the
now ones, for these latter contain the
very points that these men said they
favored.
Copy of Resolutions.
A copy of the resolutions which the
students have draw- up follow:
We, the undersigned members of
- 1 tho University of Nebraska athletic
hoard, nereoy astc tno special com
mlttec of the bonrd of rogonts appoint
ed to act on the proposed chango In
the system of university athletic con
trol to consider tho following resolu
tions ns substitutes for thoso paBsod
by tho athletic bonrd at Is meeting
Wednesday:
"Bo it resolved:
"First Thnt thd ofllco of physical
Instructor nnd athletic director bo cro
ated with morely advisory powors to
the nthletlc bonrd.
"Second That the nthletlc board be
retained with Its present functions.
"Third That after the soason of
1!0!) a single football coach for both
football and baseball be hired, and
that the sorvlces of said coach bo at
tho disposal of the university for tho
entire school year.
"Fourth That the present systom
of management of unlvernlt athletics
bo continued.
"Fifth That each somester a gym
nnsium fee of $f be assessed all stu
dents In tho university, and that the
disposition of said fee be under the
supervision of the athletic board."
NEBRA8KAN FOR MINNESOTA.
Dr. McLean, Former Chancellor, Rum
ored Ab Northrop's Successor.
In commenting on the resignation
of President Northrop from the presi
dency or Minnesota university, tho
Minnesota Daily, published by tho stu
dents, abates .a rumor that President
McLean or Iowa may succeed him.
President McLean whb chancellor of
Nebraska for several years prior to
going to Iowa.
Tho Minnesota Daily slates the case
thus In a recent Issue:
"Vuguely, ludellnlteb and with a
constant tendency to dismiss the
thought as one not probable and very
disagreeable, the university has been
expecting and fearing the announce
ment or our president's resignation,
ror the last year or more us loving
eyes have watched 'Our Grand Old
Man' grow more weary under the In
creasing burden of guiding alum ma
ter. Hut the announcement of Sat
urday evening camo with startling sur
prise. 4
"President Northrop's formal resig
nation will bo presented to tho board
of rogents today, to go Into offect at
the close of tho present college year.
At this time he will have completed
his twonty-flfth year aB president.
"There has been much speculation
on tho campus as to tho posslblo suc
cessor to President Northrop. Tho
name of Dean Jones has been whis
pered, and aftor that fancy has stray
ed far and wide. Tho fact that Presi
dent McLean of Iowa unlvorsity visit
ed Proxy during tho Thanksgiving va
cation, started rumors as to his aspir
ations; and the fact tljat he was onco
professor here was adduced as further
proof. ProfesBor Angell or Chicago
and Woodbridgc or Columbia, old
Minnesota men, are also named as
more than possibilities."
SENIOR LAW REFU8E8 A CHEW.
Present Offered by the Friendly Devoe
Devoured by Others.
Alleging that a certain Benlor law
wub continually borrowing chewing
tobacco of him, Robert Devoe, with
several associates, took up a collection
In tho class to buy a quantity of tho
aforesaid article to bo given to tho
senior as a Christmas present. Yes
terday at a class meeting Devoe arose
and after making a speech delivered
tho present. It was rejected and
thrown upon tho floor. Tho recipient
asserted that ho never used tobacco
in that form except at long Intervals
and that at those times ho had bor
rowed it of Devoe. Ho rejected the
present on the grounds that he could
never uso that quantity of tobacco
In two years.
Devoe then recovered the presont
and divided it between himself and
several of his friends. Tho members
of tho class are now busy instigating
proceedings against Devoe and his
associates to recover tholr donations.
They charge Devoe with knowing that
tho presont ' would bo rojocted, and
that he Intended to take advantage
of this fact and appropriate tho to
bacco for his own use, thus virtually
supplying himself with tobacco at the
expense' of the class.
Rehearsal for tho Messiah will be
held early next weok. On Monday at
5 p. m. the rehearsal will be hold at
the Temple music hall, on Tuesday at
7 p. m. tho rehearsal will be held in
Memorial hall, and Wednesday It will
be held at 5 p. m. In tho Music hall
of the Temple.
Pies like mother tried to make.
Baked fresh every day by am expert
woman pie baker at The Boston Lunch.
MAY BE CHANCELLOR
IF DR. AVERY MAKES GOOD HE
WILL BE PERMANENT HEAD.
REGENT C0PELAND AUTHORITY
Says Acting Executive Will Be on
Trial for Few Months to Test
Ability Before Final Action
Will Be Taken.
ir Dr. Samuel Avory pleases tho ro
gonts with his work as tho hoad" of
tho Unlvorsity of NobraBka during
tho noxt few months he will bo mado
tho pormanont chuncollor of tho unl
vorsity. Regent Goorgo Copoland
made a stntcmont to this offect aftor
tho adjournment of tho mooting of tho
rogents hold at tho -Paxton hotol in
Omaha yesterday morning. Ho said
thnt tho acting clmncolloroloct will bo
givon a chance to show whothor ho
Is capable of making a strong oxoc
utive ofllco, and that In caso ho proves
to have all the qualities nocossary to
give the unlvorsity a good chancollor
he will bo mude tho permanent hoad.
New Man Experiment.
"Wo consldor," oxplnlned Rogont
Copoland, ""that conditions- In tho oast
and In tho west, and ovon In tho var
ious schools in ,tho west dlffor groat
ly, and it 'would bo roally an experi
ment to bring u now man horo. Wo
do not know whothor ho could adapt
himself properly to tho conditions, and
It would bo more or lesB of an experi
ment. "Wo know tho broad mindodneBS of
Dr. Avory anO consldor that ho is ono
of tho greatost scholars in sclontlflc
linos In the country. Ho 1b a product
of dur own state and understands con
ditions hero vory thoroughly.
consequently wo decided to try
him, nnd if ho 'makes good,' as wo ox
pect ho will, ho will remnln as tho
permanent chancellor.
Tho board of rogonts was In session
for nearly throo hourB In Parlor B on
the second floor of tho Paxton hotol.
The board passed resolutions in
memory of Dr. BIcknoIl, who was ad
junct professor In ophthalmology and
otology.
More Work for Medics. "
Dean Ward, and other morabors of
the faculty of tho medical college,
recommended that tho ontranco re
quirements to tho medical collego bo
amended so ns to require at least two
years of collego work previous to tho
medical course. A four-year and a six
year modical course aro offered now,
and this would do away with the form
er, with tho Idea of raising tho stand
ard of doctors. It was roforrod to a
committee.
The dean also recommended that
Dr. F. Crolghton Wollman, a noted
author on tropicul diseases and author
ity on tropical biology, bo secured to
lecture to tho Omaha medical stu
donts. Dr. Bessoy Informed tho board of
a valuable collection of specimens 'for
i tho herbarium, received from William
Cleburns, formerly of Omaha, con
taining 298 specieB from near Cincin
nati, and also of' ono consisting of sev
eral thousand specimens from Dr. VY.
J. Webber, formerly of tho university,
now of Cornell. This collection had
boon kept for him, but now he has
turned It over to tho school.
T. A. KlcBBelbach, a graduate of the
school, was appointed instructor in
field crops at the state farm.
Visit Corn Show.
Tho rogents In the afternoon visited
tho collego of medicine and the corn
show. Thoy wore very strong in their
expressions in regard to tho groat
good to bo derived from the exposi
tion, speaking especially of tho high
character of tho exhibits from tho
colleges, and'what thoso exhibits typi
fied. Those present at the meeting wore:
Chancellor Andrews, Dr. Avory, chan-
tcollor-eleot; W. G, Whltmore of. Val
ley, Fred Abbott, of Aurora; Charles
Allen, Lincoln; C. B. Andorson, Crete;
George Copoland, Elgin. V. G. Lyford
of Falls City was the only ono absent.
EXCURSION WAS CALLED OFF
8tate Farm Student's Did Not Make
Omaha Trip Yesterday.
Owing to inability to secure suf
ficient numbers to make the excur
sion to the National Corn Exposition
in Omaha a success, the students of
tho State Farm did not make the
trip plannod for yesterday. IV had t
oeen expeciea mat approximately ono
hundred students would take advan
tage of the chance 'to see the great
corn exhibit So few expressed their
intention of going that the trip was
officially declared off by the school
authorities yesterday morning.