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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1874)
THE HESPERIAN STUDENT. V I ill HESPERIAN STUDENT, I'UIll.IHHBI) MONTHLY 1IYTIIB HESPERIAN STUDENT PUBLISH ING ASSOCIATION OB TUB NEBIIAS KA UNIVERSITY. Editou-ix-chikk, G. E. Howaiu). AS80CIATB, - - Fannie Mktcai.k. Local, W. L. Swebt. J. M. Ihwin, Business Manager. TERMS FOR SUBSCRIPTION. 1 copy pur college year $0.75. 1 " six month? .... 0.150. Single copy 0.10. TERMS OP ADVERTISING. 1 column one insertion $4.00. y squares " " 1.00. 1 " " " .135. AJ1 articles for publication should be addressed Editor Hesveuian Student, Stutc University, Lincoln Nebraska. All subscriptions, with the address, sliould be sent to the Business Manager. Subscriptions collected luvnrlnhly in advnnce. Advertisements collected monthly. THE TEMPERANCE CRUSADE. O thou Invisible spirit of wine, If thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee devil. Slink. The persistence and enthusiasm mani fested by the fair ladies of Lincoln in their most valiant and implacable crusade into the dominions of King Alcohol is, to say the least, worthy of admiration. Their relentless pcrseverencc is as remarkable as it was unexpected. The consequence is that, the incredulous smile of amuse ment depicted on the countenance of the public, in the outset of this novel sensa tion, is giving place to an expression of thoughtfulness and grave inquiry. The irreverent bacchanal who in the beginning laughed loudly at the Utopian scheme, and boldly invited the ladies to hold their services in his saloon, jocularly asserting that they brought increased cus torn to his bar, now, Vith rather a crest fallen and perplexed air of anxiety, al most ludicrous, finds himself facing a serious and troublesome reality. The sa loon keepers of Lincoln act a great deal as if they had caught an extensive band of fair tartars, or rather that the pretty Nomads had captured them. Tliis unique war partakes somewhat of the wonderful. Fancy u beautiful, but most intrepid lady, like the raging Pcn thesilca her troop of amazons at the ficigo of Troy, leading her fair warriors into the reeking fortillcations of the one my, and, metaphorically if not literally, spilling the liquor from the toper's glass .and wrenching the toddy-stick from the ' -bur-kceper's hand ! A cool conception of a verity! That veteran "bummer" who dropped into the saloon for his customary dram on the evening of the llrst memorable assault at Bailey's, and after a moment of wide-mouthed astonishment ejaculated " Bill I'm dumed if I evcr'd a thought such a thing could possibly be, nohow," rudely expressed the general wonder at the new enterprise. Bo it known that we have possessed lit tie faith in this woman's raid perchance from lack of thought. Wo have been prone to say: "Can any good como out of such a Nazareth t" Not that wo have over doubted tho motives that prompted this movement. No, Heaven forbid it! We liave more faith in Christian woman than over to doubt her pure motives in the cause of right. But the conlompla tions of scenes, grotesque, and strangely, solemnly ludicrous in their novelty, did not favorably impress us. A group of chaste and sweet-breathed virgins, and stately, staid and buxom matrons ensconc ed within the unconsecrated proctitis, bor dered by two unholy billiard tables, the polluted atmosphere reeking with a dead ly pestilence, singing the- sweet anthems of their Redeemer, while surrounded by a throng of aba'- lotted, besotted, tobacco stainded and jeering debauchees and roistering blades, who mingle with the words of prayer and expostulation horrid oaths and ribald jests, and at each pause greet the delicate ear with uproarious ac clamations and applause the picture we must admit, in the heart of a casual ob server, is calculated to Inspire more Of disgust and pity than of hope for the good result. We say in the ieart of tlte casual observer, for upon more sober re flection, we find arguments that commend this movement to our serious considera tion. These thoughts present themselves to our mind: Is not this movement another evidence of a great coining revolution in politics and morals? Is tt not caused by that great ebulition in public sentiment which, sooner or later, will clearly define our political issues by distinct lines of morality and right, not the least of which will be temperance? This movement has already created, and will continue to create a strong public opinion in the right direction. Public opinion, when suflleiently defined and de veloped, will make temperance a political issue. This is where, it seems to su, this crusade is effecting a great good. But we are told that this movement has an op posite effect that it is weakening public sentiment in favor of the temperance cause. We are by no means alarmed at the dolorous lamentations of those ex treme law-and-ordcr men temperance men so called who raise their indignant protestations, and shed so many sympa thizing tears over the desecrated rights and privileges of the rum-seller. It is astonishing how pathetic your staid, temperate, moral man is over tho barbarous treatment the saloon-keeper is receiving at the hands of these fair out laws! But this is natural, and just what wo arc glad to see. When once the time shall come to act upon the platform of the " New Temperance Party," and men are compelled to vote whiskey or anti whiskey, these men of nice scruples will vote right. This is what they dread, and why they are so consciencious in (his matter they are afraid their moral cour age will bo put to the proof. When this occurs the reign of King Alcohol is fin ished. But, dear sir, why is your sensitiveness so dreadfully shocked at the boldness and indelicacy of these ladies in thus imperil ing their modesty, by witnessing scenes of questionable character? Now bo candid and acknowledge that your anxiety in this respect is a little hypocritical. While standing in the crowd, witnessing the same scenes of which you complain, do you tremblo for your own virtuous char actcr ? Is tho virtue and modesty of wo man so much thinner and more unstable than your own, that it wtll bo shattered by a few rude shocks or harsh sounds ? Will it rub off in tho more contn(3'N ll nicl or element, while trying to reform it? We have no charity with such arguments. We have too much confidence in the dignity of woman's character. Would it not be more manly for you boldly to take one side or the other of this question at once? If you have a brotherly sympa thy for the advocates of intemperance and the venders of intoxicating drink, come out like a man and say, witli jolly Robbie Burns, of the good Scotch drink: " Thou nrt tho life o' public haunts. Hut thee, what were our fairs and rants r Kv'u godly meetings o' tho snunts, lly thee Insplr'd When gaping, they besiege the tents, Arc doubly llr'tl. Fortune, If thou'll but gle mu still Hale brecks an' whiskey gill An' rowth o1 rhyme to rave at will Tak a' tho roBt An' dcal't about as thy blind skill Directs thee best." Woman has been driven to this step. She lias long wept over this terrible evil. She has appealed to legislators for the ballot. They were afraid she would dis grace her delicate self by mingling with the riff-raff and rabble at the polls. Hope less of gaining the ballot to right this ev il, she has been forced to the present al ternative which, though it may not be " clean" enough to suit her noble lord, is the only resort ho has left tier. Of all the evils that have llowcd from the intoxicat ing cup, more replete with ills and cal amities than Pandora's box, woman has felt the keenest and the bitterest. While kneeling with streaming eyes in the grime and lilth of tho bar-room, as wo have seen her, pleading with tho rum-seller to forsake his calling for dear humanity's sake, she has been simply pleading her own cause. What wonder then this move ment, fanatic though it may be, novel and unique though it is has produced won derful effects in other states! Longfel lows Victorian, explaining the eloquence of Preciosu, has beautifully expressed our idea of woman's power in such a cause : "How like nn angers speaks the tongue of woman When pleudlng In another's cause, her own." It is claimed, also, that tho prayers, en treaties and appeals of the ladies under circumstances so untoward, and amid sur roundings so grotesque, are calculated to make the cause of religion a mockery and to render the hardened and abandon ed man more calous to religious iniluen cos. This assertion seems to lack any tangible proof, while many evidences til ready observed in our city, and more olse where, positively refute it. The man who, in the saloon, turns tho lady roughly froom his door, listens to her words ap purontly as unmoved as a brazen image, or repays her solicitations with insolence and blasphemy, from a fool-hardy desire to seem brave and more hardened than ho really Is, in the presence of his fellows, is merely acting a guilty and hypocritical part. Though in her presence, surround, ed by his comrades, he appears defiant and shameless, he blushes for his brutali ty and cowardice, in tho solitude of his quiet hours, when the voice of conscience forces a hearing. The ladies have shown a true heroism in this work, though undoubtedly guilty of some indiscretions. We fool that their labors will not bo in vain, if thoy proceed cautiously whh unfaltering perseverance and fortitude. Lot a permanent organi zatlon, and a strong one, be formed. Let them remopiber that their enemies can shield themselves to some extent with the strong arm of tho law, and consequently that they must avoid fool-hardy and dar ing escapades. They must take heed nev er to conceal the winsome potency of true womanliness with a virago's brazen of. frontery. Let them work at homo, in their own city or village. Your noisy,, caious-faced, professional reformer from abroad brings sure ruin to such a cause. Watch and pray, and especially keep the men entirely out of the business, and we will hope for the best. THE COMMON SCHOOL. Wo can usually judge of the prosperity and growth of a state, by a comparison of its school statistics. The marked progress, or evident decline in the com mon school interests will invariably indi cato the thrift and energy, or the sloth of tho people in every department of Indus try. Wo challenge any state to show a rec ord of more rapid increase and develop, ment in this respect than Nebraska. Since the organization of our school s) tern in 1801), so great a transformation hns been wrought, that the contrast is almost incredible. We are still however in our infancy, but the fact that the Increase in school population and wealth is greater each year than the preceding, as we ad vance, gives great promise for the future. The following facts are taken from the ofllclal report of Hon. S. D. Beals, State Supt. Tor 18(50-70, the reports of Hon. J. M. McKonzio for 1870-3, and other records in tho state department: 1870 187:) No. of children. 32,702 0:1,103 hchool monev nmvil. 13S.Kl!).l() fti?n.-ini.(i7 No. of school houses 298 1,138 Vol. school property, $178.(50:1.74 $1,107,01:1.87 No. of teachers, SKI 2.222 Paid to $57,738.4:1 $289,852.90 -Male, 20,(150.13 MII.Bll.W l-emolo, 31,088.) 140.311. u Percent, of attondanco, 39 00 No. or school districts, 797 1,803 No. of counties, 31 59 Total expenditures, $103,930.84 $915,070.89 From the foregoing statistics it will be observed that, in four years, the school population has doubled 1873 alone shows an increase of nearly 12,000 over 1872. By carefully comparing these figures with the census of the total population of Ne braska, in 1870, wo find that last year alone our increase was at least 05,000. During the four years, tho number of school houses has quadrupled last year 151 were built; also the value of school property, in the same time, has increased six-fold, Among the buildings erected during this period, and not included in the above, are the State University, and tho new State Normal Building; and in cluded is tho High School Building, at Omaha, tho best in the United States. The number of teachers has increased more than four-fold; the amount paid to teachers more than fivefold, showing an increase in average salary. While the per cent, of attendance is yet lamentably small, tho Increase fromO to do per con turn is a most encouraging token of ad vancement. This fact, more than any other, shows that earnest, effective work has boon done, and that tho minds of the people have been quickened and elevated to a higher pluue. The amount expended to educato tho youth of tho State has increased near ly sixfold since 1870. Tho above facts give an imperfect idea of our imperial prosperity, But thero is another improvement, fully as important, which cannot be indicated by figures. I refer to the ciliciency in which our school system in all its ininutlm in district, county, and state is now administered. Tho harmony and perfection attained in the working of tho wholo educational i -