THE HESPERIAN.
UNIVERSITY of NEBRASKA.
Vol. XIV.
LINCOLN, NEB., MARCH 15, 1886.
No.'XI.
CURRENT REMARK,
Lincoln has a miniature strike It has not assumed very se.
rious proportions just brings it nearer home and illustrates
the fact thatagreat many laboringmen think that "the winter
of their discontent will be made glorious summer" byastrike,
in which belief they are a trifle "off."
Lincoln is to be favored again in the near future. The "Schu
bert Quartette," of Chicago, will give a concert here sometime
early in April. Doubtless everyone knows that this is the
tame quartette that created such a furor atChatauqualast sea
son, as well as at Chicago and many other places this winter.
There is no doubt but that this is the best male quartette in
the west, if not in the country, and it is certainly a good
thing that we are to be given the chance of having such a mu
sical treat as they will give.
There seems to be a greater rage than ever for progressive
euchre this winter, and the papers almost every day have an
account of some card party. Cards are a very good thing by
way of amusement but it does seem as if the rage for pro.
gressive euchre was going a little too far. The question is
hrw near does it come to gambling. Still there is not much
use of any excitement over the affair as it is a rage which, like
all other rages, will die out in a short time and people will
wonder that they evr saw any fun in it.
The authorities of Omaha are having quite a struggle with
the gas company. The city proposes to cut down the price
of gas to something like a moderate rate and the company ob
jects and threaten to shut ofT the gas. Mayor Boyd says he
knows that gas can be furnished at even a less rate than that
proposed. The outcome will doubtless be that the company
will have to give in and let the people have light at a reasona
ble rate. If some kind of a movement as this could be inau
gurated in Lincoln it would be a good thing for the city.
While exchanges from other colleges are bemoaning the
lack of interest in literary societies and are vigorously exhort
ing their patrons to care for them lest they die, we of Neb
raska University have cause for congratulation in the pros
perity of our societies. Whatever of competition and 3trife
is found in other colleges between college classes is here found,
minus its brutal phase, between the literary societies. Thus
they are made to flourish. It is for the interest of the stu
dents and University to maintain our societies, even to the
"John Green" chorus at the foot of the stairs. Long may
they wave!
Lincoln may be an i doubtless is a very moral place, but
there would be more outward evidence of it, if the bill boards
could be kept a trifle more free from disgusting pictures. It
is an outrage on decency to allow such advertising pictures to
be posted up all over Lincoln, as those of the Slack Crook
combination. It may be out of place for a college paper to
notice such things, but some one ought to do it and nobody
else sccms.inclined to say anything against such popular com
binations. It docs seem as if the city authorities ought to take
hold of the matter and see if the public places can't be posted
with decent pictures or not at all.
If, as is claimed, a man can be made sick merely by telling
him he is sick, modern mortality is easily accounted for. One
cannot open a newspaper, look at even a rail fence, the side
of a barn or the sidewalk without being reminded that some
part of him is out of order and needs repairing. The pa'tent
medicine advertisements which flood the modern press and
meet the eye at every turn are enough to make a well man
sick. We protest that the common sense of readers ought to
banish a large part of this class of advertisements from news
papers, and aesthetic taste should banish from public places
the glaring posters which are constantly pasted and repasted
by industrious agents.
The late discussion between Presidents Elliot and McCosh
concerning the place which religion should should have in
our colleges touches a phase of our educational system more
important than most think. In these days when men's minds
are busy questioning what place the leligious idea should take
and will take in our social organization, it becomes an impor
tant question as tc what shall be its status in that most potent
in that society, our educational system. Although the dis
cussion above mentioned touches a comparatively small part
of the whole subject, yet as the expression of the opinions of
our wisest and sincerest men, the respective arguments
are worthy of our most careful study.
i he city election will soon be herc. There are prospects of
a strong fight between liquor and temperance. If the temper
ance people will only put up good men, not those who are
sound on one question and cranky on all others, they stand a
good chance of carrying the city. The great trouble with the
temperance party is that they are apt to put up some second
class politician who has been unsuccessful in other places, and
hence he is a temperance man, and expect those people who
do not advocate saloon power to vote for him, regardless of
his unqualification for the office. If they would take pains to
pick out solid men who are sound on temperance and other
questions, also, and let the political mucks alone there would
be more hopes of the city going for temperance.
It is almost time for some one to get up another "City
Charity" entertainment We have not had one for some time.
They are good things; for they give those who have charge of
them a chance to go around among the people and get 'ac
quainted while trying to sell tickets.. They also give a great
boost to amateur talent of all kind. They are all right and
should be encouraged, therefore their entertainments are ben
eficial, but as far as the poor are concerned they do not amount
to much. Those dependant on charity would be beyond h'elp
iftheylookea to these entertainments alone. Our Omaha
friends have a different an. . They get up a Charity Ball and
make over $4,000 for the poor and don't make any fuss about
it. Wouldn't it be well for our people toget some pointers
from the gate city? --..-.- -- -. ' -?.