A
THE HESPERIAN STUDENT.
Yates vc would state tliat lie says he had
not before heard of Judge Thurbcr, and
consequently knew nothing of his argu
ments. Mr. Stephens, you arc too rash in
your statements tor your own good.
Nothing short of a public apology can
exonerate you from the false charges you
made.
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 dcsiid the good will of all and
thought to gain it by actiim more as a
pacifier than as a judge. The result is
too well known to need comment. He
failed, as should all who (tare 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, and this, both in thought and deliv
ery, was given to Miss Fairfield. Does
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 more thought than the
other, but was more poorly delivered, the
two were equal. The thought might
have been as 1 :'Ji, the delivery as 1:2
still the result was only 'a tic. Oh, the
enlightenment of our legislators and
judges. By such a system of 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,
ing to 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, fondly-kind ciea
lure of effeminate society. The students
of the University, one and all, are of tho
opinion that they have not had justice.
They aiv, not only of that opinion, but
they know that they have ncl. Last year
they accepted their defeat manfully and
willingly, because they knew the verdict
true. This year they know it false, so
does everyone whoso reason is not held
prisoner by his piejudlce.
There are many kinds of 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 mauy men were liablo to rank for
CominencomeLt: "Well, I should re
mark ! "
CHARLES liOBEllTDAmVIN.
UkARWIN was bom at Shrewsbury,
England, in 1S04. 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
chietly to his "Origin of Species" and
"Descent of Man." For in comparison
with these two works, or rather one work,
his life and oilier scientific works must
appear of litttle importance.
In 1851) was published the "Origin of
Species." Here first appeared a care
fully arranged scientific statement of the
theory of Evolution. The theory cannot
be better stated than in Darwin's own
words: "Those who hold to the theory
of Evolution conceive that there arc
grounds for believing that 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 liltlt 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 wore treated
with 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 greatest modern philosophers
have made Evolution the basis of their
speculation. There are a few who still
cling to the old theory of "special cren.
tion." They bcem to work for what they
consider the good of their God rather
than of truth However, if they are lead
ing a forlorn nope 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 advance 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.
Jgxrl(ntQc Qric-H-hrnc.
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 sArull races.
Well put!
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."
Tho Freshmen of California University
celebrated the "Burial of Conies" in
gorgeous stylo ou tho last Saturday uight
in April. Speeches, a parade with trau
sparauccs and fireworks, and a funeral
pyre were the prominent features. An
attempt by the Sophomores 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 over our
lack of long, heavy literary articles and
also tries to show that local matter should
not be special feature ot our paper.
Notice the following: "We think that all
students present at any house of 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 uninformed on even tho most
trifling 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 chargo, how
ever. There is "something that excludes
literary icnlter" from our columns. It is
the fact that such articles are never (that
is, soldom) read by anyono except tho
author and tho unlucky compositor.
Until wo have more space this department
must give way to something more ben-
eficial.
V
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