Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885, April 01, 1875, Page 3, Image 3

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THE HESPERIAN STUDENT.
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I3t legislature. In order Unit wo may
clearly uiiilcrstnud tho rulntlvo roproson.
lalinn, of tho various profusions, wo will
glvo tho following schedule, showing tho
number of representatives from tho vari
ous occupations.
Iloust:.
Fanners, 10: Lawyers, 7; Mci chants, ft;
Real Estate, ft; Oiw Co. Supts., 9; Millers,
S; Carpenters, 2; Editors, I; Ministers, 1;
Bankers, t; Watchmakers, t. Total 511).
SltX.VTK.
Labors, !: Farmers, ft; Physicians, t ;
Slock Growers, t: Smelters, 1; , 1.
Total 1:1.
It will he seen from the foregoing table,
Hint hut sixteen, out of the thirly-nino
members of the House, aro fanners, which
could certainly have given them no ma
jority in any direct Issue, even If they
Itiul wished for it; while of tho thirteen
Senators six are lawyers and only three
funnel- Thus of the whole- number of
rqiieseiilutivcs, fifty-two in all, nineteen
are fanners and thirteen are lawyers. And
farther, we are credibly Informed that not
mure than seven, out of tho fifty -two, are
Grangers. While the limners have the
We little expected when wo made tho
statement Just quoted by our critic, that
It would call forth so llerco a rejoinder, yet
It was not made hastily, nor without
knowledge of all it linpllod. Wo have
not space nor Inclination to enter Into an
extended argument on the Grunge quus
Hon. A brief reason for "the hope within
us" must suniee.
The Grantors heretofore have stronu
ously denied that they were In any sense
u political organization. Ostensibly they,
probably, were not. Politics may not
have entered into the programme nor the
discussions of their meetings; but in real
ity they hiwo exerted a mighty iniluenee
over the politics of the West, and this in
lluence, we are firmly convinced, has not
been for tho best welfare of the country
at large. Whether, as a body, thoy in
tended to exert this Influence- or not makes
subserved at all hazards. The good poo.
pie must be hoodwinked by wholesale
economy somewhere else. The schools
were attacked because, taking the income
from thopermuinont fund, which cost the
people nothing, to lighten direct taxation,
looked like economy. Hut It was not econ.
omy. It was an outrageous Injustice to
the youth of tho Stale, and in the end no
diminution of the burder of taxation.
The Grangers may have been innocent
causes of all this. If thoy were, let them
rectify it by their votes in future.
Our Stale is not the only one whose ed.
ucationul Interests have sullcrod from the
iniluenee of the Grange clement. The
same element has materially damaged tho
educational system of Illinois, while the
ads of her past legislature, tho most cor
rupt In her history, arc notoriously infa
mous. And the political Influence of thu
not a particle of dill'ereneo, tho fact is the I Grange has been greater in Illinois than
same. Toe Grangers, as our critic very
emphatically observes, are the professed
anywhere else. Id).
Universities.
The lament is often uttered over the
enemies of monopolies, especially rail
road monopolies. Yet from the nature of i
I Iiiii i' Miirtmt'Stittfiii lluii Ittntit itMtiti.il .. I
nmv ,iiiifrl,l.'n,.l,r! ..,.iiii....i i H..u- , Amerk'iin University that it is inferior to
greatest number of representatives, yet wojuml olllce seeking demagogues, in whieh, l!,,u . E"fc',,!,!,.,r M' t,l,MC",1 8i'8.um of
oipitii.
Now, Mr. Editor, will you in the face
of these facts call it "Granger Legisla
tionv'' You charge the Grangers with
doing that which they were utterly mi
able to do. Are you not just a little in
consistent, in blaming them for subsidiz
ing rail roads, when you must know with
what hostility they have always opposed
Mich subsidies. Neither is it probable
that since thev are aroused to their own
interests, they are seeking to destroy their i witness the regulation of rail-road tariff,
ojily hope of final success the public
school system.
On the contrary, the Grangers are avail
ing themselves of every educational ad
vantage within their reach, and at the
same time they are striving to increase
their facilities for practical education by
nil honorable means. The time has now of our past Legislature were, in a great
come when the laboring classes vill no J measure, due to the influence of tho
longer submit, unneard, to the biased die- Grange element in the State, was incor
taction of (heir more cxaltedf?) brethren irect. On the contrary, his statement
iiioi iw.....ii r...... i. -ii ... .
ii ! u. in in ii nut uiiiMi omei s experience
passed their course of University training..
That it may bo seen how deeply this rog.
illation strikes Into national life, observe
what would be the effect of laws like the
following.
No teacher in aiiy academy orgrammar
school shall be employed who has not
passed through tho full public school
course and finished with the College and
received a College degree. No ono can
be admitted to sit on the bench or prac
tice at tho bar or practice medicine or bo
employed In the public schools of tho
State unless he has received the degree of
A. 13. or B. S from a Stale University.
Nor shall any one be elected to any olllce
of the state, or receive any appointment
in the civil .service of the country unless
a graduate of a University recognized by
tho state. Now such are substantially
the requirinenls of tho German states in
order loonier on any of the cervices In
the professions or slate employments.
Such a system would be impincliblu in
this country, for public sentiment has not
yet recognized any special value in such
training in order to lit men for public life.
Indeed, I might go furtliei and say thai
practice is held by the majority as of
more value than theory, and hence large"
culture is believed by many to bo an ob
stacle rather than an aid in the practical
a flairs of life. Hence also the complaint
that American Colleges are requiring too
much and especially that they do not
leach enough of the technics of tho vari
ous professions and arts. Until we have
a different and better public sentiment it
will be impossible to have the German
System of Universities.
51. There is no University In America
thai aims to accomplish what the German
Universities propose. Our Universities
are collections of Colleges, each college
having some special subject of culture, as
Literature and Science, or Agriculture,
Mechanics, Arts, Law, or Medicine. In
Germany the University will admit, only
those to its classes who have already ro
coived the Bachelor's degree from some
Institution under state control. Within
the last few years there have been vigor
ous attempts made to establish a. national
University-which shaU- sustain the. same
relation to tho various Colleges of this
country as the Universities of German' do
to the gymnasia of that country. At pres
ent the undoi taking does not promise
iri-.!i t KIIPPI'SS Tlil Il'lllnllev nf ar mn ,C
votes. We do not care to enquire whether ... ... ..... n.,;,,,, ,..., ., :., ! iiiniililur instiiiitlons of iln noiim n,i
.III .IV .V...W.., ... - 0 - -J ...... . J.I 1 . ."
; ine uiHiiiLsun uiiiuiuiu governmental con.
troli for tho moment seem to naralvza .all
lung in eflbrt in this behalf. For even this Unl.
secondary ' versily, faintly modeled after the German
venture the assertion that farmers, as a during the lasl two years, they have
class, have the leasl representation per re iped a bountiful harvest, at the expense
of their benefactors tho Grangers. This
class of politicians, of which Nebraska
has an ample supply, have laken up a new
an I significant battle-cry' Economy, and
Down with MoNoroi.iKb! while they
have exchanged kid gloves and perfumery
for the horny palm and hay-seed cos
metics. The way they have attempted to crush
monopolies is certainly unique, and not at
all dismaying to railroad stock-holders
by the Legislature of Illinois, for which
piece of economy, Ihe good fanners of
Iowa and Nebraska have paid dearly.
Now, although we have carefully stu
died he statistics of our critic we arc not
at all persuaded that our statement, that
the blunders and mis-directed economy
urope. whenever the comparison is
made between our Universities and those
abroad, our work is disparaged and its
I real excellencies overlooked. The quos
I lion is often raised, why can we not have
a University organization like that of;
(il'l'lllllliV in M'llil'll till' irl'iinlnct tluu-miirli I
." - -e- ..... g,..-
ness and system in instruction are pre
scribed and enforced by the state. In
this country everything is left to the ca
price of each corporation, bolh as to the
courses .of stud', and the extent to which
they shall be pursued ; and hence diplomas,
and other evidences of scholarship have
no fixed orstandard value.
After all th ithas been said, I believe
il will be found that our College system
is better for Americans, than would be the
German system, If It could be transplant
ed entire to our country. No doubt there
are many excellencies belonging to the
German system of Universities that might
well be imitated in Ibis country, but ta
ken as a whole, as the outgrowth of their
national life, and meeting their pi o iliur
national wants, it would boa violent dis-
It i in Ilia Grange alone, that mar.y of shows us plainly, that this element had a ; lilC(.muIlt l() ,ocal0 thtll 8 .8tum ()f Clllicn.
lie inhabitants of tho rural and sparse! v heavy bi.luneo of power in the Legisla- 'J. . ouj. jju)(j
...painted districts ofll.o West are brought ' ture.' Iiut we did not intend to assert that , l". ,.,, " fimisi(lm,;,i1)lls ...,.,..,. n
I. ...n4t !!.!. .At -- i . . !. .1 1 iii.i'w C
V ..,; .. isiiereinaiiueyuoriveamu- any measure was ca.r.ou uy uumgui , lm imi)rnc,lcaulHty, for the pros
it Is here that they discuss questions of. a single member of the order occupied a . (oulll.v
connomy mid equity; and we may add 'sent in the last legislature. This is not, j,, Uie German system ovcrytl
that wL'beliovoil is here that fanning will the point at Issue. But wcdoasert, with- t, ' rmiirv sciloi lllu the sec
m- muni.- iionoraDie ami the most indepon- out learoi (onirauicuoii, nun was mc , h(,,1()0j jnlrts ., I() tii University by care-' system, we aic compelled to wait.
hut of all professions, in fact as well as direct influence of this order which . .,,...' i.mt,.a ti.)S h, order to do this I While we cannot roproduce in. this
In theory. "God speed the day.' j prompted the policy of many of Urn lend-, "' " .... ..j. ' " orecl C0Il,ri ovor c'm,!,r-' ,1 mi mUch VUmU fWT as '!
; in i i , "". ...it it AVMi Hie State must nac puitu conuoi oti whole, still there are special features of
Hut if, while bringing about this much Ing members of the Legislature. A I13 gy8t(,n ()f instruction. While excellence which we would do well to i.n-
needed reform, they should sometimes those fearful throes and spasms of econo- ...,,.... u vrv attractive, and cm. Hate, and which may bo considered here-
nut? -"-.i - w .(.. .
make mlslakes, let us not censure too so- "O'i wn3' those sighs and groans over 1m
vercly.bul remember errare humumnn cut. 'aginary corruption, on the part of nioii
And above all, let us not arraign them for known to b corrupt, and eager to grasp
an ollonse which the have never com
niltled Lot us not denounce them as
numskulls because they are unable to cope
with veteran tricksters, in a polluted sys
torn of vicious politics, but give them
time to improve by practice, and to profit
by experience.
You havo enumerated tho short-coinings
of thc'Logislaturo and havo prognostic,
ted tho final result., and then you havo
pointed to the Grangers-as tho cause of
all this: Why do you not point to the in
fluciitinl1 member, a lawyer by profession,
who rose in his place and openly advoca
ted the abolition of tho Whole free
school system." ' ' H.H 'W
the public treasure? Why did they cm
tail all appropriations for the support of
our higher institutions of learning, and
rob the children of. the revenue for the
support of common schools? It was
done to establish a commendable reputa
tion for virtue and economy in tho oyes
of the farmers.
Why did they not attack tho railroad
corporations? Because under tho cir
cumstances it would not have been to
their advantage, either in a pecuniary or
political point of view. Two great pow
era were to bo propitiated tho Grangers
and the 'railroads, the' oii6 representing
YOtca, tiro otlronnbnoy. Capital must be
be enforced where the spirit of absolutism
partially prevails, in this country such a
plan would of necessity bo held within
stringent limits. It is regarded by some
ablo educators quite nonnational to com
pel the education of all in the primary
school, and Ihe more would this be resist
ed if enforcement should be required in
tho higher schools. Wo can do much to
harmonize all grades of schoojs, to savo
waste of time and labor, b'ut until the
state asserts greater control than it now
seems likely to do, we niay not soon look
for the. introduction of tho continental
system of Europe iato this country.
2. In tho ne.t place, the professions
and tho'civll service, pf tho German states
can only bo ouleicd .bJsVcU'.afl have
A. 11. B.
(For tho Hcspoifnn Sttulont.)
Honi) mid Trust.
H.v A. A. C. ,
Whuti'vor cares ninytlieu nsall,
Look for a bright tomorrow;
'TIb butfur fur to live iu'hopo, -
Thau spend thy days in sorrow.
Tho path of Ufa le dark enough,
However yon may vlow ft;
It Hiirely then wero wiser far,
With brlghost llowors to utrow It.
What if tho world should scorn unkind,
And honor theo but slightly;
More costly is a virtuous mind,
Than gems that shlno most brj;litly.
Thou tread tho path that Proyldonoo
. lias placed boforo thy vision
Accept Its joyp wfth gratitude,
Its sorrows with submission. ' "
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