THE HESPERIAN.
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I)
MISCELLANY.
COMMENCEMENT WEEK.
PHILODICEAN EXHIBITION.
Owing to some previous arrangements the Opera House
could not be had cither Thursday or Friday evening, and so
the Thilodiccan exhibition was given Wednesday evening,
June 9th. An excellent literary program had been prepared
and, inspirited by the sight of a good audience, the members
of the class did themselves and their society ample justice.
The following is a short resume of the evening's entertain
ment.
A, piano duet by Misses Cochran and Stetson of the musical
department was followed by an essay by Miss Laura Roberts
on
INTOLERANCE
She stated that there was an inherent desire in every body
to worship something tangible or intangible, and that there
never has been a race of people without some kind of religion.
In primitive times this religion was without form, but as na
tions grew it spread and formed codes and rituals. As each
religion increased it became jealous of the others and the spir
it of intolerance grew. She gave illustrations from Greek
and Roman history and especially cited the Inquisition where
the idea of intolerance took visible form. She showed the
glaring evils of the Inquisition and how it affected trade, and
hindered education, and spoke of the bigotry of the church
till the Reformation, then of how Catholics preyed on Protest
ants and Protestants on Catholics, of how intolerance spread
to all soils and all countries, even America. She then spoke
of toleration and its happy eflect, especially in Russia and
England. She claimed that aU'governments, laws, languages
and religions pass through three stages, viz: growth, increase
and decay. Intolerance has passed through them and
the last period was ushered in with the nineteenth cen
tury. She claimed that while these persecutions were bad
their effect has been good; that religion like gold, has to go
through through the refiner's fire, and that after each perse
cution it has come out with a purer conception of the Deity.
A vocal solo, "pome where the Lindens Bloom," was ren
dered by Mr. Eddy in his usual agreeable manner.
The first oration of the evening, "A plea for Science," was
given by Mr. Fulmcr. Mr. Fulmcr rather surpassed his pre
vious efforts and is an earnest speaker.
A PLEA FOR SCIENCE.
A few miles from Glasgow there is a spot where if a bar of
music be played upon the bugle its notes will be repeated by
an echo, but a third lower; after a short pause another echo
is heard still in a lower tone; then after another pause a third
repetition follows still in a lower key.
Scarcely three generations ago, the faint murmurs of true
science were heard as echoes from the ideas of an alchemistic
philosophy. A few years more, and in an order the reverse
of the echoes from the Scottish hills, these murmurs were in
tensified. As the years passed by, this sound increased in
strength and pitch until the world was compelled to listen to
it. .
The develovemcnt of science was very slow until the eight
eenth century. Its beginnings -were found in the philosophy
of the ancient alchemists and false theorists. When its found
ations were laid, it began a very rapid development and has
continued it to the present time. It now stands upon a firm
basis after having passed through severe struggles; but its ef
forts are still hampered by lack of means and encouragement,
2 FOUR-PLY LINEN COLLARS 25c, UUFJbS 2
and the suspicions and jealousies of the people. It cannot do
its work in an open manner as scientific work for this reason.
The danger arising from such a state lies in the tendency to
wards superficiality and intellectual fraudulence. The oppor
tunities science presents for this, arc improved by unscrupu
lous men. People arc imposed upon by them, and then sci
ence is denounced. The people arc at fault in this matter.
Proper means should be provided for the pursuit of sricntific
work. Methods and means arc necessary. Science will pro
vide methods. Let the state provide means. Do away with
personal jealousies. Support and encourage science in every
possible manner and thus inspire men to a more thorough
study of it. In view of what science has done, and is doing,
it deserves a better lot than it now enjoys. It is destined to
be an important factor in the future history of our nation. Its
entire work has been for the upbuilding of mankind and of
government; its universal tendency is for good, and it should
receive more faith, support and encouragement.
The flute solo which followed was a treat to the audience,
except that it was too long, intruding upon time allotted to
other parts of the entertainment.
"Shall our National Banking System be Abolished?" was
the question for discussion by Mr. Wheeler and Miss Fisher.
The debate was good; and Miss Fisher, especially, spoke well
in favor of the banking system.
SHALL OUR NATIONAL BANKING SYSTEM BE ABOLISHED?
Mr. Wheeler took up the affirmative and said
The word "national" in connection with our banks deceives
many. From it we are apt to infer that they are agents of
the government and arc owned and controlled by the govern
ment of the United States. They are not, however but are
private monopolies. The principle upon which the system is
founded is dangerous to the stability of business and steadiness
of values. It is a stimulus to speculation and inflation at one
time and contributes to the paralysis of business at another.
During a time of prosperity they flood the country with cur
rency, but when a business collapse comes they invariably take
up their circulation, thus making the reaction more disastious.
It is a dangerous political power, and the unity of its interests
threatens the corruption and control of the machinery of po
litical parties. There is not a dollar, today, on which the peo
ple have not paid a tax for the privilege of having it put into
circulation. The bond holder has become the banker of the
country and he is banking on the interest bearing debt of the
people. The system is founded upon the national debt, and
a perpetual debt is necessary to make our banking system per
manent. If the banks arc a blessing then our public debt is
a blessing, for the debt supports the banks. The national
bank is the middle-man between the government and the peo
ple, and is enormously paid for doing what the government
ought to do.
The best substitute for our present system is the Fnglish
Bank. It has been a successful agent for the enormous finan
cial transactions of England for 170 years and England has
not suffered as many business prostrations in that period as we
have in the twenty-three years existence of ours. In England
the issuance of notes is in the hands of the government, and
is administered for the good of all her people. Our govern
ment has always favored monopolies, as shown in the laigc
grants of land to railroads. The financial policy of our gov
ernment should be framed permanently in the interests of the
people. The greatest step towards this would be to take our
banking system out of the hands of monopolists. Then we
would return to the principles upon which the government
was founded and have once more a government of the people,
for the people, and by the people.
5c AT MAYER BROS., 10th ST. CLOTHIERS.