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THE HESPERIAN.
II
great an influence over them, by means either of downright
bribery or by the use of political prestige. In the case of the
judges of the supreme court it would be much better and the
court would be much more incorruptible if they were elected
to their positions by means other than popular vote. When
a judge knows that he has been elected by the open machin
ations of a railroad corporation, as one of our present judges
was, it may be expected that his actions will not be of a pure,
unbiased nature. It would be far better for judges of all
kinds to-be appointed in some way by the executive depart
ment, so they would be free from local popular influence or
political work of any kind.
EXCHANGE.
It is the duty of an exchange editor tc criticise. He must
peruse carefully the exchanges as they arc sent in and must
render a verdict according to the evidence before him as to
whether or not the papers are fair samples of college jour
nalism. One should be fair and impartial, freely expressing
one's views according to the merits or demerits of the papers
befoie him. Ilulding such views we were somewhat sur
prised, and perhaps sorry, to notice among our exchanges,
The Hesperian. We arc unable to understand why it con
fronted us in this manner. Our first thought was, "It will
not do to criticise our own paper," but then came another
thought somewhat weightier than the first; "Why not? It
will surely do no harm." Again we thought that vc might
be bringing the matter too near home. We do not mind
having a wordy battle with persons representing papers pub
lished at a considerable distance, but when the distance of
separation is perhaps only n few blocks and the persons inter
ested, athletes, we thought long and carefully before we de
cided to venture on such a perilous step. Finally.maintaining
our principle of fairness, we entered the arena determined to
attack the local column as that seemed to be the weakest
, place in thejists. As far back as we know anything about it,
with, of course a few exceptions, the local department has
not been what it should be. We do not wish to reflect dis
credit upon the present editors for they arc no worse than
their predecessors. If they have absorbed former ideas in
regard to the local department, and are still following along
in the old ruts they have done and are still doing wrong.
The style should be changed and the editors themselves arc
the only ones to change it. A little original work might be a
pretty good thing in this department. We almost said per
sonal work but corrected the mistake in time. The fact is
the principle fault is that there is too much personal work,
that is, too many personalities concocted and perpetrated.
The jokes, if there arc jokes, are written carelessly and are
altogether too glaring and blunt, thereby loosing a great deal
of their force. If they were written up more carefully the
writing would reflect more credit upon the writer and pet
haps more discredit, if that is the purpose, upon the victim.
One thousand and one puns arc most too many to have in
one issue. Two or three of the best Would be sufficient.
Events arc taking place among the students every day that
are entirely ignored, and the space that should be used for
mentioning these events is reserved for puns. We do not
wish to have the idea conveyed that Tiik Hesperian is the
only paper at fault in this respect. Far from it. Neurly all
the exchanges are more or less careless in regard to this.
Some more but a majority less than The Hesperian. The
next paper that came to our view was The Chronicle
Argonaut from Ann Arbor. Upon reading this paper we
oon became aware of the fact that ye were not alone in, ou r
belief in regard to the local column of The Hesperian.
Our local department was handled without gloves by the
Argonaut's representative who devoted to it exclusively,
about half a column. The nrticlc commences in this manner:
There is another phase of college journalism which cannot
be too severely condemmed. We refer to the use ol person
alities in strained efforts to be facetious. The following items
taken from The Hesperian, of the University of Nebraska,
will amply illustrate the point." Then follows a few very
pertinent examples which we need not mention here. "A
word to the wise is sufficient."
ALUMNI AND FORMER STUDENTS.
St. Louis, May 8, 1891.
Editor Alumni Department, Hesperian:
Your request for a letter is I hope a sufficient explanation
or excuse for the following rather incongruous statement of
'my case" if I may so term it. I am pleased, however, to
place before the readers of The Hesperian a short descrip
tion of the Missouri botanical garden and Shaw school of
Botany, institutions with which I am connected as student
and instructor.
The school of botany,cndowed by Henry Rhnw is a part of
Washington university. It is at present located in a rathe
dingy, three story brick building near the university. The
building was formerly a dwelling house and is poorly located
and modeled for its present use. The first floor contains the
lecture room, pressing room, and store room. The second
floor the general laboratory, herbarium, and library, dark
room, and work room. The third floor a special laboratory.
The outfit for work is fairly good.
Of the 'university life," thatol whicK'I know, Nebraska
students would be most interested in hearing I can say bu
little. Washington university is strictly a local (St. Louis)
institution. It is located in the center of the city the several
departments on almost as many different blocks, conditions
not fostering a lively college spirit. I very much miss the
hilarious U-UU-ni or Pic-canis-pic, and vainly sigh for one
of the old time pic-feeds. I cannot tell you with what
pleasure I review the old times. How we sci's before going
home evenings would catch and toss some unsuspecting lit
and then adjourn with a sonorous yell. Things arc changed.
Instead of jumping out of the door to siezc and toss n lit,
I may now be seen when evening comes stealing out of the
laboratory and down some by street to my train, attempting
to avoid the "men in blue" who eye suspiciously my bloody
hands (Safranin or other stain.) Several times I have been
"held up" by these amiable men while rushing to make con
ncctiou with my train and thoughtlessly swinging freely my
red stained hands. Such arc St Louis police. The students
are under the heel of the city. It is too large a town for
college spirit.
The botanical garden is beyond description. One must
see it to realize its beauty and magnitude. Here, nlmosi in
the heart of the city of St Louis, one may in n few minutes
view the noteworthy plants of the tropics and the Arctics,
the old and the new worlds. The garden is not what i. will
be, but it i3 now grand. 1 have seen I believe nil of the best
botanical gardens of the U. S., but none of them compare
with this one in magnitude and scope. Yet it is but in its
infancy. The endowment, yielding last year a net income
of $120,841.93, is daily increasing in value. I think I
can truthfully say tlut fully half of the endowment is as yet
merely aft expense for taxes, etc., being entirely unimproved.
What the ultimate yearly incQnc wUl be can hardly bo .con,-
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