THE HESPERIAN STUDENT.
Yates vc would state tlmt he says lie luul
not before heard of Judge Thurber, and
consequently knew nothing of his argil
menls. Mr. Stephens, you arc too rash in
your statements lor your own good.
Nothing slioit of a public apology can
exonerate you from the false charges you
made.
CHARLES ROBERT DARWIN.
It is very apparent that a serious mis
take was made in the selection of men to
judge of the merits and demerits of the
contestants in the late contest. Mr. Howe
now wishes he had not voted to make a
tie. He desir-d the good will of all and
thought to gain it by actum more as a
pacifier than as a judge. The result is
too well known to need comment. He
failed, as should all who dare not stand
out for their convictions. But even by
that milk and water decision ol the judges
the Palladian class is victorious. Every
thing was declared a tic except the ora
tions, ami this, both in thought and deliv
ery, was given to Miss Fairfield. Docs
this make the result a tie? The math
ematics of the judges must be at fault.
Again, what an accurate system of mark
ing those judges had! If of two produc
tions one showed nn.rc thought than the
other, but was more poorly delivered, the
two were equal. The thought might
have been as 1 :.r), the delivery as 1 : 2t
still the result was only a tie. Oh, the
enlightenment of our legislators and
judges. By such a system ol marking
how easy it was to obtain the result they
did; how easy for them to evade the task
they had consented to perform.
Good taste would suppress these
remarks; good taste, Quaker like, would
have us never fight; good taste would
have us act the hypocrite and smile while
insult is heaped upon us. But accord,
mgto all common sense rules that govern
the actions of mankind there is a time to
fight as well as pray; there is a time to
express the injustice we feel as well as to
bow humbly to the dictates of good taste,
that sometimes smiling, fondiy-kind crea
ture of effeminate society. The students
of the University, one and all, are of the
opinion that they have not had justice.
They are not only of that opinion, but
they know that they have not. Last year
they accepted their defeat manfully and
willingly, because they knew the verdict
true. This year they know it false, so
does everyone whose reason is not held
prisoner by his piejudice.
There are many kinds ol stoves in the
market, but for a good old-fashioned base
burner nothing equals the maternal
slipper.
What the Faculty said when they found
too many men were liable to rank for
CommencemeLt: "Well, I should re
mark! "
BAR WIN was born at Shrewsbury,
England, in 1801. He died on the
20th of last month. Instead of dwelling
upon his life, which beyond a five years
cruise at sea varied but little from that of
other life students, or upon all his numer
ous scientific works, it will be more profit
able, perhaps, to confine what is said
chieily to his "Origin of Species" and
"Descent of Man." For in comparison
with these two works, or rather one work,
his life and other scientific works must
appear of littlle importance.
In 18.VJ was published the "Origin of
Species." Here first appeared a care
fully arranged scientific statement of the
theory of Evolution. The theory cannot
bo better stated than in Darwin's own
words: "Those who hold to the theory
of Evolution conceive that there are
grounds for believing thai the present
conformation and composition of the
earth's crust, that the distribution of land
and water and the infinitely diversified
forms of animals and plants which con
stitute its present population arc merely
the final terms in an immense series of
changes which have been brought about
in the course of immeasurable time by
the operation of causes more or less sim
ilar to those which are at work at the
present time." To fully appreciate the
important place which Darwin will
always hold in the history of the thought
of the lDth century it must be remembered
that the almost universal belief, at this
time the belief of scientists as well as
theologians, was that all things were di
rectly created by the Deity and therefore
statical. Scholars do not surrender an
old belief without a struggle and it is
always difficult to convince the crowd that
there is any ancestor between them and
God but man. But a few of the most
able scientists on both sides of the water
accepted the theory and were not idle in
its defense. From the first their numbers
increased and the unpopularity of the
Evolutionists became less. When the
"Descent of Man" appeared twelve years
later it met with a different reception.
The author and his work were treated
witli respect and consideration by all and
the "Descent of Man" by the majority of
scientists was welcomed with enthusiasm.
To-day Evolution is accepted almost
universally by the most eminent thinkers.
To be a scientist is to be an Evolutionist,
and the groatest modern philosophers
have made Evolution the basis of their
speculation. There are a few who still
cling to the old theory of "special crea
tion." They seem to work for what they
consider the good of their God rather
than of truth However, if they are lead
ing a forlorn hope it will appear in due
time. It is a remarkable feature of this
century that it was possible for Darwin
when fifty years old to advanco a theory
opposed to the traditional belief of world
and yet live to see it accepted by the most
eminent thinkers of Europe and America.
Darwin passed seventy-three years, in
all. of a life that was of advantage to the
world and must have been of satisfaction
to himself; for he employed himself not
in defending what he was determined to
believe, but in trying to discover what he
might justly believe. '82.
JJgxclintiQc gjric-H-hmc.
Knox Student is about to publish a
"History of Western College Journalism."
It is intended to give a history of each
paper, and will be issued in about ten day.
MadisonJUniversity Press, noticing the
contest between our college and Doane,
remarks that in the east they have
scull races and in the west sAull races.
Well pul!
The far-famed Niagara Index, with its
bilious exchange department, once more
adorns our table. This paper shows only
ordinary ability. Its reputation is made
entirely by the exchange man, who is
verily a "holy terror."
The Freshmen of California University
celebrated the "Burial of Conies" in
gorgeous style on the last Saturday night
in April. Speeches, a parade with trau
sparances and fire-works, and a funeral
pyre were the prominent features. An
attempt by the Sophomorts to break up
the burial by stealing the coffin and kid
napping the speakers resulted in victory
for the Freshmen and a few broken heads
for their opponents.
The Spectator goes into spasms oyer our
lack of loug, heavy literary articles and
also tries to show that local matter should
not be special feature ol our paper.
Notice the following: "We think that all
students present at any house ol educa
tion must know the principal 'items of
interest' transpiring at that house; and,
since the University is co-educational, it
seems impossible that any in the place
would bo unit formed on even the most
trilling events. We fear there is a lack of
something that excludes literary matter
from its columns." Our Canadian friend
knows nothing concerning the demand
at this University for locals, and should
keep quiet until correctly informed. We
must plead guilty to the last charge, how
ever. There is "something that excludes
literary matter" from our columns. It is
the fact that such articles are never (that
is, seldom) read by anyone except the
author and tl.o unlucky compositor.
Until we have more space this department
must give way to something more ben-
eficial.
'fctw. Sgwgwgilf fyy 'ff'sii'HV
