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52
THE IIESI'EIUAN,
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practice. They must he capable of ginsping and dealing w ith
the great problems of the state and nation. For this great
work the foundation must he laid in the law school. In after
life they .will look hack with either piidc or regret to the
training hcie obtained. Lord Doliughrokc, in one of his lec
tures, after dcsciibiiig the profession of the law, as, in its na
ture, the noblest and most beneficial to mankind, in its abuse
the most soulid and pernicious, rose to a high impulse of en
thusiasm and exclaimed, "Tlieic have been laywers that wcic
orators, philosophors, histoilans; thcic have been Paeons and
Clarendons, my lord; theic shall be none such any more, 'till
in some better age men learn topicfcrfame to pelf, and climb
to the vantage ground of general science." May it be the aim
of this university to point the way to that high slandaid ol ex
cellence, so strongly put by Polingbrokc.
I feel that I am safe in saying to you, and to the state at
large that in the dcpaitmcnlof law, as well as in all other de
partments, this univcisity will scenic and maintain that high
standard which shall make it and keep it the pride and delight
of our young, generous and piosperous state.
CURRENT COMMENT.
It may not be entirely within the province of Till", llr.s
)'i:ui,N to discuss Lincoln politics and Lincoln municipal
affairs but there is an odd spectacle of late appeaiauce that is
worthy of leniaik. In these extremely hard times, people,
heienbouts at least, have not been desirous if getting rid of or
of giving awny their money. Hence it is a strange spectacle
to people to observe the anger of certain patties in this city
because they cannot give their money away, and anger, more-
Over, vented on those who will not take this money when off
ered to them. Such is the ease with the gamblers of this city.
They weie arrested while at their trade and their insttuments of
play confiscated. At their tiial in the police com t they were
convicted and lined. They paid their fines and were icleased.
Thus far their course was an easy one; for they were used to
this sort of piocccding. Former city administrations have
been in the habit of arresting the gamblers once in a while,
confiscating their instruments, but later surrendering the tools
upon a writ of lcplevin. Thus the gamblers got ftff with a
light fine and were soon in full blast again. Their tools they
obtained fiotn the court, as the city authorities usually dis
missed the case regarding the writ of replevin. This time,
however, our reform administration refused to deliver up the
gambling implements on the writ of replevin. The mayor
claimed that the couit had no right to issue a writ of icplevin
for goods already in the hands of officers of the law , and if
it did by mistake issue such writ it should at once recall it. In
other words, the mayor and chief of police were only tech
nically disobeying the court since its writ was illegal. Judge
Morris, of Crete, ami other good lawyers have told Mayor
Weir that his action in the matter was in accoidance with
good law.
Tims, for the first time in many years the gambleis of this
city have been brought to their wits' ends to find a way of
continuing in their nefarious business. For weeks previous to
the recent open contest, they have been trying to tamper with
the city officials. It is an open secret that the mayor has
been oficrcd $1000 a month if lie would wink at their acts and
let them pay nominal monthly fines. It is also well known
that the chief of police has been offered $1500 in hard cash to
overlook or, in some way, to connive at their iniquities. The
efforts have been futile and that is just what has raised the
row. -The gamblers couldn't pay their hush money to the
city officers because it would not be accepted. A strange fact
in these hard times!
The best class of citizens arc sustaining and vill sustain the
mayor in what he does. They believe that honesty, though
liable to mistake, is yet honest and the best policy. It is to
lie Hoped that the mayot nml his subordinates will continue
their good work of diiviug thcgnmhleis from their business,
Tm: HksIt.kian believes that public scntllricnt would nlso
sustain the officers if they were to arrest any of the gambling
fraternity who might chance to he in attendance at the univer
sity and yet plying theii trade. Rumor was last year that
there were such. If theie be such now or at any time during
the year, let the offendeis be ferreted out nnd punished. No
one would deprecate the action.
The ladical wing of the liberal paity of England is demand
ing some of its desircl icfornis witli redoubled energy. The
course of events points to a victory for liberal principles some
time in the near future. The nffaiis of Ireland, while not
commanding so complete attention as they did one year ago,
nic yet of sufficient importance, so long as they remain
unsettled, to command large attention. The people of 'Knjj'
land are also becoming strongly imbued with socialistic and
icpublieau principles. Especially among the working and
the thinking classes, the institutions of monarchy and aristoc
racy aie coming to he moie odious and distasteful every year.
On account of this glowing discontent of the people, the radi
cal wing of the liberal part) deems this, the probable eve
of political changes, u pioper time to bring prominently
to the fote their distinctive ideas of icforni in the social
world.. Just now they vehemently demand the liberals to put
in their program the abolition of the house of lords. Prob
ably they will not be successful this time. The agitation,
however, cannot but be useful to the desired end whenever
that is to be. To Amciicans, not aware of the profound con-
vcisatism of the English middle classes, it seems strange that
so desirable a icforni should be so long in coming. Put the
English house of lords has not always been so useless as at
piesent. Moreover it is an institution of great age, hence its
loots extend deep and wide. It is not easily -upiooted, but
when the trunk becomes dead the toots will rot. Then the
radicals will be successful in their eifoits but by that time they
will no longer be radicals. Radicals will then go much
farther vet.
Competition is one of the piominent features of modem
civilization and of modern progress. In business there is the
greatest competition. Vet competition often appears in even
philosophy nnd leligion. In educational matters there is com
petition. Pctween nations theic is competition ns well as
between individuals. The different crafts compete; the var
ious schools of science compete. Put this is all ns nothing.
Competition has entered the heavens! Perhaps it might better
lie said that there is rivalry between those that claim to con
trol the clouds, It is now rain-maker Melbourne versus
Hvrenf uith. Although engaged in the rain-making business,
in it, at least, it has no monopoly. As much success iscininied
for one rain-nuker as for the other. It is all strange, myster
ious. Yet so accustomed has the minds of people of these
times beconu to strange and wonderful happiness and achieve
ments that it is doubtful, if things continue n3 they have,
whether one hundred years hence the announcement that some
one was going to effect communications with the inhabitants
of some of the stars would cause any more astonishment than
is usually conveyed in the phrase, "Well, what next?" If i
be true that wonders will never cease, then is it unreasonable
to ask whether, if the wonders increase, ns they have, they
will not reach quite to the stars within a century. If any
reader feels doubtful of this let him wait until 1900 and then
review the century then gone. Doubt is fatul to scientific
achievement; in science faith and works are indespensable.
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