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THE HESPERIAN
THE HESPERIAN
Issued Weekly by The Hespekian Association of the University of
Nebraska.
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION:
One Copy, per College Year, in advauco $1 00
One Copy, ono Semester CO
Advertising Rates on Application.
Alumni and Ex-Students.
Speclnl endeavor will bo mado to make The Hespehian Interesting to foimcr students.
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Subscriptions on our books will be continued until ordered stopped.
Address all communications to Tne Hespehian, University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Ne
braska. Entered In the Post Ofllco at Lincoln as Second Class Matter.
BOARD OF EDITORS: .
F. E. Edgekton Managing Editor
J. J. Plowhead Assistant
ASSOCIATES: ,.
R. C. Roper Editorial
F. G. Hawxby News
Bertha Johnston News
Frank Miller News
G. W. Kline Literary
W. H. O'Connol Debates
Sam B. Sloan Fraternities
Lee Berry Athletics
The election of members of the athletic board for next year
was the most exciting contest of its kind that has been hold in
the university for some time. According to rules recently
adopted the names of the candidates were posted and publish
ed a week in advance and the election was conducted on the
Australian system. The results of the election are as follows:
R. W. Bliss, 215 votes; JR. S. Hunt, 193; 0. H. Root, 190;
R. E. Benedict, 172; E. W. McDiaswaid, 154; R D. Kings
bury, HI; J. J. Plowhead, 135; C. EL Mansfielde, 134; M.
N. Liebmann, 131. The first live were declared elected and
will constitute the board for next year. The Hespehian wishee
to commend the work of the present athletic board. We be
lieve they have conducted affairs in an able, business like man
ner. We also believe that the newly elected board is compos
ed of representative university men who will spare no efforts
to continue the good work of this year.
Reflections on the Innter-State.
The Inter-State Oratorical Contest for 1899 will pass into
the history of these student meetings indelibly stamped with
''success." We do not say this because we must, nor in the
spirit of that senseless journalism of more senseless journalists
who write up glowing, patent bunkum before events take place.
The Inter-State was a success financially, a success qualitatively,
a success in every way, oven in the decision of the judges a
thing that can seldom be said of such a contest. Financially, it.
was far more successful than any contest held for several years.
At Topeka, Kansas, in '96, the receipts failed to meet half the
expenses of the contest, and the several states wore called upon
for a special levy. This year there will be returned to tho sev
eral states, after all the expenses have been met, something
like $325, nearly $100 more than tho ten states subscribed as
their annual dues.
Not for years lias the whole University been so wrought up
with a common spirit and a common interest. It seems almost
aB though wo had taken on a now lifo to see an event take place
among tho students in which everybody really seemed to haxe
an interest. Nearly every organization in tho University was
represented. For a week before, the common talk on the
campus was about the contest. And all this interest and col
lege spirit culminated in ono of tho most enthusiastic meetings
over hold in tho history of tho University, in which the largo
Oliver Theatre was filled from parquet to "nigger heavon."
And to whom is tho credit for all this due? We believe we are
not mistaken when we give tho chief credit as due to Mr. J.
P. Maguire, Vice-President of the Intor-Stato Association. He
haB spared no oiforts and lost no opportunity to push tho mat
ter to a successful end. When we remember how a year ago
we were considering the advisability of having tho Inter-State
here, and how the "wise ones" shook their heads, and the
timid ones shrunk at the thought of the groat responsibility,
wo can only wonder at the contrast between the results and our
expectations. Mr. Maguire has spent weeks in working up
interest, and it had to be "woiked" considerably, too. He
impressed forcibly on each and every organization tho respon
sibility and duty owed to tho University in making this event
a credit to our institution. He has shown abundant evidence
of splendid executive and business ability, and the Hesperian
is glad to give credit where credit is due.
The contest has been a success in another way. It has
brought tho University prominently before tho people, and
especially students, of the great northwest. Representatives
visited us here from ten interior states, and wo Ifopo, at least,
that they took away with them impressions creditable to our
University.
Our institution was the only State University represented
and tho only institution of any great size, with a pocsible ex
ception of one or two colleges. It has seemed to many that it
was unwise for us to continue our connection with this asso
ciation, for the very roason that wo do not meet in competition
with other like institutions, but with smaller colleges, usually
denominational, in wliich a radically different kind of oratory
and public speaking is developed, an oratory to which wo do
not aspire. Our style is not ministerial, but argumentative
and strictly convincing. In order that wo may bo put on a
basis of equality, at least, in kind of oratory, tho Hespekian
will make a few suggestions that may help in getting us into
an association that will better suit our ends. If it bo possible
lot there bo formed a new association on the following plan:
To include simply state universities, for instance, Minnesota,
South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and possibly,
Colorado, although it would seem that six states would make a
large enough association. Then, tho rules governing these
contests, bo as broad as tho university itself, which is com
posed of different colleges, making no discrimination between
tho colleges. In our state association now, wo are continually
meeting with difficulty, the smaller colleges and academies air
ways uniting to restrict our power and resources, until this
year our colleges of law, agricultur, and any professional col
lege that wo yot have, are barred out. So a now association,