THE HESPERIAN STUDENT. h i THE HESPERIAN STUDENT Published semi-monthly by thu students of the Nebraska State University. MONDAY, MAY IS, 1882. EDITORS IN CHIEF, 0. U. Davis. N. Z. Snei.i.. Local Kuitoh, Ci.km Chase. A880CIATK Editor Will 0. Junks. BUSINESS M AN All Ell, H. F. MaUSHAU.. TE11M8 OP SUUSCIlll'TlON. 1 copy per college year ..... $1-00. 1 " oue half year .BO. Single copy .05. KATES or AUVEHTIS1NU. 1 column ono Insertion $3.00. 2 squares " " .75. 1 " " " - to. All articles for publication should be addressed Editor Hesperian Student, State University. Lincoln, Nebraska. All subscriptions and bust ncsscommunications. with the address, should besont to B.F. MARSHALL. Subscriptionscol lected Invariably in advance. Advertisements collected monthly. Editorial On behalf of those who visited Crete from the University, we return to the students of Doane thanks for the many preparations that were made for our pleasure and comfort. No kinder treat ment could have been wished. The cold weather, it is true, prevented the carrying out of many things, yet the intention was there the means had been provided. The Student is not at all satificd with the result of the contest, hut for the students of Doane College, their hospitality, thoughtfulness and generosity, it has only respect and good will. The Student is afraid many of the University students were not aware of how gum chewing looked in an opera house. It would not raise auy class of students in our estimation if at a public entertainment in Lincoln they should all make that delightful jaw music caused by chetving gum. Put others in the same position you were in last Friday night at Crete, and then imagine how it would look. We have no desire to do more than call the attention of the students to this matter, as their own judgement will tel them if, at the late contest, they did the proper thing. Unfoiitunately some of the greatest evils of American politics are fostered at college. Students who are trying to lit thomsolves for the duties and responsibil ities of citizenship should aim at some thing higher titan mere skill in wiro-pul-ling and bull-dozing. Yet how often do we have a society election, or eyon a busi ness meeting of any consequence, at which these arts are not practiced ? It is perfectly proi.er for any one to use all honorable means, such as arguments or persuasion, to secure the passage of a measure or the election of a candidate. But all underhanded schemes such as threats, misrepresentations, unfair rulings and challenging votes upon mere techni. cal grounds should be beneath the dignity of the students. The literary society at the college farm has decided to give an exhibition two weeks from next Wednesday night. This will be the first entertainment of the kind ever undertaken by the farm boys. This year, as during previous years, the' have had a well organized society, meeting every Saturday night, and doing good work. Rut heretofore they have never seen lit to let the public kuow what they were capable of doing. Now that they have decided to have an exhibition, the Student takes pleasure in announcing the same. In the coming years there is no reason why this should not be one of the constant features of Commencement week. As it lies wholly within the power of the farm society to make it such we have no doubt that it will hereafter rank along witli the other society exhibitions. It again becomes the painful duty ot the Student to allude to a habit which some of our hitherto respectable students arc acquiring. In an institution for higher education honor should be held high. Whatever other vices we may have, we should not be lacking in per sonal integrity. If for any reason one does not feel prepared to pass an honest examination in a study, the honorable path to pursue is the right one. Better a thousand times to endure the disgrace of failure than the questionable honor of passing (?) by means of organized deceit. We learn that in a recent examination concealed books and prepared notes were used by several members of the class. This is not only dishonor but cowardice, ana should be frowned upon by every res pectable student. If the professors would show greater vigilance and the students strive t raise the moral tone of the insti tution, we believe this evil might be averted. Ik a stranger should find himself in a knot of students, their conversation would be about equally Intelligible with so much Chinese. Vague allusions to events, past, present and future, which have no earthly interest to anyone except the initiated are the rule. College expressions are so numerous that we can almost say that the students have a dialect of their own. Law and medicine havo their distinct nomenclatures, why not we Tj,ore is no objection at all. But what do we think of the lawyer or physician who constantly makes use of technical expressions neen. liar to his particular profession, but I Greek to those "outside the pale?" The sensible man shrugs his shoulders and sets the otFender down ns a pedant or a fool. Now, although among themselves students are at perfect liberty to converse after their own fashion, would it not ho more in accordance with true politeness, when comparative strangers arc among them, to use the vernacular common to all English speaking people? To say that the students of Doane Col lege and of the University are indignant over the indecision manifested by the judges chosen to decide upon the respec tive merits of thu participants in the late contest, would be superfluous. We were very happy to be informed that the pro ductions were "excellent; " but, as Lieut. Webster said, "we knew that before," and to be paternally patted upon the head and told to "try again, children, it will do you good," was not the object of our visit to Crete. It !s all very well in theory to say that literary productions should bo ineas ured by the amount of the actual benefit derived, but such is not the sole object aimed at in these contests Why not tell us that the student should burn his pro ductions as soon ns written, because the applause of an audience is a false stim ulus ? Students no less than men engaged in practical life want something dellnite, tangible, tc show for their efforts. We think we but echo the sentiments of the students of the University when we say that an advcise decision would have been preferable to such ambiguity as charac terized the verdict rendered. We notice that the Journal was so well pleased with the debate of Messrs. Yates and Stephens that it made editorial men tion of the same. It is gratifying to stu dents to know that their efforts are appre ciated. While we too "pronounce the arguments of both gentlemen very ad mirable and exhaustive exponents of the issue, better upon the whole than have been made on the stump by regular pol iticians of the state," still the Student was surprised to hear Mr. Stephens make so many slighting remarks concerning his opponent's argument. He indulged in too much brow-boating. Some of this may be overlooked, but when he openly and explicitly accused Mr. Yates of plagarism at best, he carried matters loo far. No doubt It was for effect upon the decision of the judges, as he afterwards went t Mr. Yates and apologized for using such language. He tried to ingiatiate himself again Into the good graces of the one whom he had wronged and still keep the audience under the impression that his opponunt was a thief. It ia the humble opinion of this paper that the man who would do tliis lacks some of the elements of a true gentleman. In justice to Mr