?
JL
THE
RASKAN
71
Vol IV. No. ia
UNIVERSITY OF NEllKASiqj LINCOLN, FBimUAttY II, 1S00.
PlUOE, 5 Cknts
JN HjJBS
OUR ORATORICAL AFFAIRS
CONTEST TO-MORROW NIGHT.
Interviews on tho Advisability or With
drawing from tho Inter-Btato Xtoasuo
ltn Opinion.
Tho annual contest of the university
oratorical ttssoclatlon to select a tide
(jAto to represent tho unlvoralty 4n tho
state contest will take place Saturday
night. February 15, The contest prom
ises to bo very spirited as tho orators
haw boon working hard. Yot not much
Inter has boon manifested In tho
coming event, owing to other festivities
taking place this week. An admission
fee of 10 cents will bo charged as usual.
THE PROGRAM.
VocaI solo (a), "My Lover Will Come
Today." R. DeKoven. (b) "Tho Silver
Ring," Chalnhwde, Marie Pollard.
Oration, "The World Brain," H. R.
Alexander.
Oration, "The South and the Race
Question," S. W. Plnkerton.
Oration, "The Dean of American
Statesmen," Snowdon Summers,
Vocal solo, D. N. Lehmer,
Oration, "Mirabeau," P, B. Edgcrton.
Oration, "Trtal by Jury," H. W.
Qualntancc.
Oration, "Senior Dollvor," L. J. Abbott
Jr.
Music
Decision of judges.
The Judges are: On manuscript,
Judge E. P. Holmes. Judge A, S. Tib
bets and W. M. Smith; on delivery.
Ytoss L. Hammond, Hon. A. R. Talbot.
The third Judge on delivery has not yet
been selected.
The Question of withdrawing firowi
the interstate oratorical association Is
becoming very pertinent In view of the
lack of Interact manifested in the com
ing local contest.
As usual, th& majority of students
have thought Uttle about it. The only
prevalent feeling Among most of the
students seems to be indifference.
Mas? Xt"SMOt fcstt-nMat Mnethtcig
should be done ito revive the somewhajt
lagging- interest. That if a chance In
tife entire system would accomplish
this end Ut should be tried. University
people ore crowing tired of seeing a
college of 200 send down a delegation
of twenty with a lot of horns ito blow
their rustic orator to victory. It la a
shock to the dignity of a state uni
versity to see such institutions placed
on a. level with it and it 4s certainly
no compliment to the chosen orator of
a university of 1,800 students to make
him compete with a half a dozen fel
lows flrosh from -their training at tt
country spelling school. If this Is the
real clause of the lagging interest in
the state university in oratorical matt
tens, steps should be immediately taken
to remedy it. Many students advocate
the new system, a few still stay by
the old and a. very goodly number sug
gest dropping ithe affa'ir entirely. They
think that unless the Interest of the
student body can e roused ithere is
certainly o reason fv? .taking up the
proposed ayvftem, but if the new system
is not taken up the old one should be
dropped. It Is time itme university of
Nebraska had erased to identify her
Belf with Gates and Cotner.
Robert Graham in on Interview said
that for several reasons he thought
we should not withdraw from the inter
state oratorical association. First, it
would preclude the eastern style of
oratory, which is most pleasing to the
public, second, it would destroy the ex
isting relations that holds us In touch
with, eastern education.
These are tfhe primary causes, but
there Bins others. All of the oratorical
schools f any note are east of Chicago,
and 40 keep dn the reach of these we
should not Withdraw from the ln'ter
ntxtiatmi association. It would have a
tendency to nwike us narrow to with
draw and osfcajblteh a more local associ
ation, vnd thei are very few benefits
to be derived from the change.
iMr. Batoer, In substance, said. "I
think thalti it i very advisable that
the asocatki Should withdraw trom
the s-tatte assoolaltton for the fact tOialt
the majority Of colleges whioh belong
to .tWe association are in reality no
more thaJn high schools. The univer
sity has (reached that standard in which
wo may be letudtTs in education and
public (thought. The assoclaieion in re
certt years Jius been oanried on not for
the (bast Interests of oratory, but for
selfish motives. It Ba time that the, uni
versity of Nebraska become a member
of an association in which omittvry can
be developed In tho broadest and
noblest sense ot the word, Tho mem
bers of tho present state nasodatlcn do
not pretend to corm up to our standard
ot looming. Their Intervals aw dif
ferent from ours.
"It is very desirable that the uni
versity of Nclttudta should continue
Its membership In some onMbrJoal as
sociation. OrntoVkul art belongs o col
lege life. Then It Is the duty of tho
oratorical association to form an as
sociation in which the art may be cultl
voted and developed.
"Yes, the state universities should
form -themselves Into an association
since they have a common Interest,
The ultimate purpose of our state uni
versities Is primarily the Fame. The ob
ject is not only to keep pace, but to
be loaders of the broader and Vxtttor
education ot today. SJnce Ihe system
of education Is different from thos
of denominational colleges U Is ap
parent that the greatest results can bo
accomplished by tho friendly co-operation
of the state universities. Not only
would the oratorical art bo better de
veloped, but it would bring the state
universities into closer relations and
upon more friendly terms, The stand
ard of oratory 4s pmdrtcally the same
and I believe that It Is the duty of the
universities to put forth every effort
to perfect such an association,
"So for the committee has corres
ponded with the heads of the Kngllsh
departments of four state universities
and iUie answers that we have received
show that all of those unversltSes are
anxious to form such an association.
A prominent student and one who
nas won the state oratorical contest
said tliot the principal reason for withdrawing-
from the interstate oratorical
association was thalt we did not con
sider the smaller colleges to be in our
class. He said that as far as his ex
perience went, however, the smaller
colleges had good departments of elo
cution, and tiwCt their men were as
hard tto beat as those of the larger
colleges. In factytfee. winners, have not
usually been state university men. The
present dissatisfaction began when we
were losing, and has been smouldering
ever since.
The only valid reason for withdraw
ing from the present association ia that
the local contests have been financial
fa'flurei. If we go into a contest with
Missouri, Kansas and Iowa the ex
penses wM be lessened, as there will be
no state contest. Probably more in
terest will also be shown, at least for
a while.
The building association of the state
university held Its usual temi-annual
reception Wednesday n'lght in the con
serva.tv0 This was the first of the exer
cises of Charter week. The rooms were
comfortably filled with the merry com
pany, although many members could
not be present on account of their
school duties. The number was in
creased at 10:30 o'clock, when the li
brary closed.
The object of the gathering was re
creation and enjoyment. It is needless
to say that this -was not lost sight of
from the first arrival until the end of
ithe evening. Games of many poinds
were played in lne parlors, the practice
rooms and the hall. Bach one on en
tering the building was given I u name
of some celebrated man or woman.
They also received numbers, by which
they selected partners for the different
games. The Ideal mandolin club fur
nished some lively music that pleased
the students. The club had seats in the
office and played from time to time
through the evening.
The building society is collecting its
forces gradually this year and thinks
that it sees its way clear to the plans
that have been outlined for a hall in
which the literary societies may meet.
Some corresponding is being done and
the officers think that if Nebraska has
a few good crops the society can soon
begin the erection of the 'building,
which will be its glflt to the state.
ELECTED A MANAGER.
At a meeting of the university ath
letic board on Wednesday afternoon at
4 o'clock W. H. Oury was elected mana
ger of the football team for the coming
year. Mr. Oury'B ability as a rustler
is well known and there ia no doubt but
that ho wdll make a first raite manager
for the team. He haB already shown
capacity as a business man,
Boa Cameron's lunch
South Eleventh street.
counter, 118
PROF. MAITIU'S LECTURE
AT THE FUHKJB LAST NIGHT.
Tho EistinguUhed Editor Makoa a Solon-
tifio and Scholarly Addrusa-A
Brief Bkotchiof His Ltfo.
As n prelude to the festivities that
will attend the Inauguration ot Chan
cellor MnoIcan atxrtho celebration of
Jxrthe celebration of
, X&rtln, editor ot the
trrof New York city,
it at the Punke opera
Charter dny, T. C
Klectrloul Knglno
lectured Inst night
house on "The Development ot Power
at Nlagra Falls.' He was Introduced
In a vary easy and pleasant manner
by Chancellor Mtoljonn. As n preface
to his remnrks Mr, Martin spoke of tho
fket that he had come across tho con
tinent to lecture on his subject for tho
purpose of awakening an Interest In
electrical engineering, and also to aid
those who were studying that branch
of engineering to understand what was
being done In theltj line of work. He
stated that he ras a personal friend
of Prof. R, R. Overs, the head ot the
department of electftcal engineering In
the university, hiving known him dur
ing his undergraduate days and also
afterwards In the 'ost. He further
stated that he advised Professor Owens
to come to this university at the time
had the offer. Mr. Martin will be In tho
city until Saturday mornlng.and will at
tend the exhibit at the university. He
Is an entertaining speaker, and handles
a technical subject. In a way so that
the uninitiated may .readily understand.
It is a singular fact," said Mr. Mar
tin by way ot introduction, "that among
the national glories of this western world
Niagara aloneUnotossoclatedwithsomc
great work ot art ,vr literature. Such
being the case, It will not seem wildly
fanciful if I venture to think that here
after the great work ot genius that Is
to associate itself In.Vhc world's thougnt
with Nlagara,ls to be',a piece of engineer
ing. This will in io way belittle its
splendors nor che&tten Its chaims.
Par from apoloffrlsg for the pres-
ence-of modern cM.t intern Va this realm I
of natural masterpiece, 1 would urge
we have here the promise of the part
eltctriclty is to play in the large recla
mation of hitherto wasted forces of
nature a process of utilization that will
give us light, heat and power without
grime and dust, and pure air in large
manufacturing cities.
"As erly as 1725 the water of Niagara
was used for power, but 150 years
elapsed before any systematized effort
was made to harness Its forces.
"At that lime tho prosont hydraulic
canal was dug. It has long been obvi
ous, however, that even an enormous
extension of this system would not
answer for the proper utilization of the
Illimitable energy contained in
the vast stream and lofty fall.
The ordinary overspill of this
Atlantic set on edge has been
determined to be equal to about 275,000
cubic feet per second. The gigantic
power seen here is the equivalent of that
embodied In the 200,000 tons of coal dug
up daily for the ues of mankind.
"It was Thomas Evershed who first
unfolded the scheme of taking a large
amount of water from above the falls
and after using it returning it to the
river below them. In five years J5.000,
000 has been expended in bringing this
plan into operation.
"The Hi at plan was to construct a
canal and situating factories all along
it allowing each t take its power direct
This has been vastly Improved upon by
the present plan of erecting a great
power house where the water power is
turned into electricity and then trans
mitted to widely diverse points to be
used by factories situated in dry, heal
thy places and In places close to the
supply of raw material."
Here Mr. Martin showed a series of
stereoptlcon views showing the stages
of the work of construction during five
years. Following these views he de
scribed the Origin of the canal, power
house and tunnel and their rapid ad
vance to completion. Then taking up
each he described its parts and ex
plained Us advantages over other nys-tc-ms.
"The power house," he said, "is 200
feet in length and three dynamos are
now lr- operation in it All the masonry
1b most solid. The water enters the
house by way of on open canal leading
almost ait right angles from the river
above the foilB. It enters by way 'of
gates, which regulate its flow, and falls
down a well 13C feet-deep, at the bottom
of which it strikes the turbine wheels
These are attached to shafts leading up
to tho dTynnmo. After turning tho
wheels, the vntr Is turned Into a tun
nel which leads past tho falls and
empties below thorn Into tho river."
Mr. Mnrtln advanced rapidly from tho
technical description ot the plant erod
ed at such nn expense and risk at
Niagara fulls, to the possibilities ot Its
future use and somewhat of Us prosont
use.
"Having reclaimed all this truant en
ergy, It Is tho next thing to put It tn
use. It la delivered to the ieople by
way ot a s Itchbonrd, whloh Is a mam
moth affair erected In a separate build
ing. Prom hore It Is delivered to the
various factories and railways which
use It. Already a large number of fac
tories have located near Niagara for the
purpose ot getting cheap power. One
factory came from a place whore coal
was. 50 cents porton and finds Niagara
electricity cheaper."
Having very fully described tho Im
mediate vicinity of tho power house and
falls, the speaker spoke ot the iossl
blllllos of using the Increased power
at distant points, showing by Illustra
tions that Niagara electricity could com
pete with steam as far away as Al
bany. "A number of miles of the Erie canal
is already under electrical operation,"
said he, "and before long Its entire
length will be operated by power from
the plant. Not only this, but also the.
railroads are fast seeing the advantages
ot this power and in a few years many
ot them will use It entirely.
"This use of some ot the water that
dally flows over the falls may help to
keep the scene from losing Its beauty
by the constant wear, but be that so.
or not so, those ot us who are lovers ot
erglneering can now at Niagara gratify
find with them renewed pleasure and
delight in the majestic, organ-toned and
than ourselves love natural beauty, and
that taste In the unpretentious place
wrero some ot this st energy Is re
claimed for human use and then, as
ever. Join with those who, not more
eternal cataract."
A NOTED ELECTRICIAN.
Prof. T. C Martin of New York, who
lectured on "The Development and
Utilization of Power of NJagrora Falls,'
la one of the most eminent electrical
auihoriUes in the country. Professor
Martin's early training was for the
church, but at the age of twenty-one he
left his home in England and came to
this country to become associated with
Mr, Edison. His early work was on the
phonograph, and while at Menlo Park
ne partdciivated in the work on auto
matic telegraphs, telephones and micro
phones and the beginnings of electric
light. Later Professor Martin turned
his attention to journalism. He edited
a daily paper in the West Indies for
cwo years, and was also correspondent
of the London Dally News and New
York Times. For the last fourteen
years he has been engaged in electrical
journalism. With Wetiler he vrote,
"The Electric Motor and Its ApplicaJ
tions." He was one of the editors of
Appleton's "Cyclopedia of Applied
Mechanics." He "was the author of
"The Inventions, Researches and Writ
ings of Nikola Tesla," a collaborator
with Mr. Sachs in the writing of "Elec
trical Boats and Navigation," editor of
a book on "Electrical Measurements,"
contributor to the North American Re
view, Century Magazine. Cassler's
Magazine, Engineering Magazine, and
editor of tne Electrical Engineer for
the Oast six years. Professor Martin
was one of the founders of the American
institute of electrical engineers.
As they sit upon the sofa
A familiar time she trills;
"Draw me nearer," 'Is the whlspar,
The enraptured youth fulfills.
Ex.
Burlington's personally conducted
excursions to Utah and California. A
Pullman tourist sleeping car will leave
Lincoln every Thursday at 12:15 .p.
m. for Denver, Salt Lake, Ogden, San
Francisco and Los Angeles. Only 55
for a double berth Lincoln to Los An
geles In one of these cars. Remember
there Is no change of cars. For full In
formation and tickets apply at Bur
lington & Missouri depot or city ticket
oflloe, corner Tenth and O streets.
G. W. Bonnell, C. P. & T. A.
Remember thalt Francis Bros, have re
opened ithe CapMiaJl Cafe, 121 North
Elevenlth street. Short order meals are
jtneir specialty.
PHI BETA KAPPA HONORS
WERE ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY
Tho Chapol Filled to Overflowing Tho
Fortunate Onoi- More Names to
bo Announcod Itator
The Inauguration of the Alpha chapter
ot Phi Rota Kuppa will tako placo at
the homo of Chancellor MacLean on
Saturday morning at 11 o'clock. The
chancollor announced at chapel last
Thursday morning that the members ot
tho society would be elected from the
culture departments. The members ot
former classes who are entitled to mem
bership wilt be announced some time
In May, ns also the remainder of the
present senior class. The following
members ot the class havo already been
elected; J, V. Searson, Ralph Bene
dict, Ernst Betsey, J. E. Almy, Miss
May Whiting and Miss Sarah Taylor.
The following are the charter members
of the 8001015': Chancellor MacLean.
Williams college; Dean Sherman, Yale;
Professor Edgren, Cornell; Professor
Davis, Johns Hopkins; Professor Lees,
Western Reserve; Professor Hodgman,
Rochester university; Professor Word,
Williams; Professor Taylor, Harvard,
Dr. Clark, Williams. Also the following
have been elected to membership for
ospeotal distinction in the sciences
Prof, C. E. Bessey, Prof. Lawrence Foss
ler and Prof, O. V. P. Stout.
DR. WARD'S LECTURE.
Dr. Word's lecture Monday morning
on the scope and aims ot Phi Beta
Kappa, the new scholarship society, a
chapter of which has been established
in the university, -as listened to by
the largest crowd that, has gathered In
the chajvel this year. The lecture was
listened to with the closest interest
throughout.
The doctor devoted a considerable ot
his time to the origin and early history
of ihe society. Born in -the historic
college ot William and Moat in Vir
ginia ubo.it the time of the Revolution
ary war. Phi Beta Kappa soon
bTunched-ui-.into-c4hlcrHtCOllees-. J:L
Tfs first a. strict literacy society, hold
ing its meetings weekly, consisting of
essays, declamations and debates
1!ne weekly meetings were soon
merged inio annual meetings. In 1SS1
the national council of Phi Beta Kappa
was formed. This council is now made
up of some of the most prominent edu
cators of the country, such men as
Angeil of Muchigan, Adams ot Wis
consin, Northrop of Minnesota, Thwing
of Western Reserve, E. E. Hole, Colo
nel iiigginson and Bishop Poller.
Phi Beta Kappa is strictly a scholar
ship sooloty. Members are lected with
out regard to age, sex or nation. Of
course the members must be men and
women of unimpeachable character.
The society is wholly unlike the aver
age college fraternJty. Its name Is the
only thing that Phi Beta Kappa has in
common with the college fraternity. In
every college and university where a
chapter of the society has been estab
lished, the students have been encour
aged to do better work.
Professor Ladd, formally the head of
the psychology department ait Yale, will
fill the chair to the graduate depart
ment of Harvard, made vacant by Pro
fessor Palmer, who is now in Europe.
Miss Weston of Beatrice and Miss
Bonneil of CMcago attended the junior
Prom, and will stay over Sunday and
olttend the Kappa Alpha Theto. spread
Saturday night.
THE JUNIOR PROM.
The dining room of the Lincoln hotel
was brilliant with decorations on last
Wednesday In honor of Ui& long-looked
for junior prom. The chancellor's pic
ture hung dn a prominent place and
Lincoln and Washington looked down
on the brilliant assembly of gay young
people. The national colors twined with
the scarlet and cream looked brave
amidst the groups of fraternity and
class colors. 'Ittie Sigma Chi, Sigma
Alpha Epsllon, Phi Kappa Psi and Beta
Theta Pi were represented by emblems
and colors and the Union society had a
motto and colors. In the centre of the
room hung a large football of cream and
purple, the class color, antl on the top
was ithe figures "7."
About slxty-flvj couples were in at
tendance and the affair was impressive
and most highly enjoyable. The pat
rons and patronesses of the promenade
were: Chancellor and Mrs. MacLean
and chancellor's mother. Regent and
Mrs. Morrill, Captain Gullfoyle and
lady, MIsb Ellen Smith, Mr. and Mrs.
L. C. RichardK, Professor and Mrs.
Ansley, Professor and Mrs. Fling, Pro
fessor and Mrs. Barbour, Dr. and Mrs.
Ladd and Professor and Mrs. Taylor.
