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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1888)
8 THE HESPERIAN n exchange nnrc-A ukac. The .4W77, from Ames, la., put in its appearance ihis month for the first time in a year. Both in fotm anil appeal ancc il is a decided improvement upon the pApei of former ears. The Swtirthnwe )Vnmix has lately been Added to the number of our exchanges. H is one of the handsomest papers on our list, and the numbers vc have seen indicate that those who have it in charge are men and women of more than ordinal y capacity. The Weskyan, from Iowa, tells of a contest in which three of the four participants chose subjects from Sha'kespearcs characteis. We must confess oui inability to see anything of the oration in a mere characterization of, for instance, King Hichard 111. We doubt if an oration can be written on the subject. Ceitain it is, the Iowa gentleman who tried it went far wide of the mark. The co-ed Mho handles the exchanges for our much esteemed contcmporaiy, the Sivipsoviari, is quite inconsist ent. She protests against a rcmaih we once made concern ing some orations printed in her paper, and in the same col limn gives as her belief substantially what we stated, vi?: that the average college oiation is an abomination. Perhaps, however, we ought not to censure the lady for what is not so Inuch her failing as that of her sex. A recently received exchange is the Haverfordinv. It is what might be termed at present a typical eastern college paper. Whatever it is we Unhesitatingly pronounce it one of our best exchanges. It may be that A paper which is devoted a 'most entirely to athletic sports docs not Approach very nearly to the ideal, but the tone of the Hfiveifordiftn is so mature and so entirely business like that il easy to Account for the high rank it holds. Its exchange matter presents a surprising contrast to the rot which the majority of papers call by that name. One of oui flock confesses a childish curiosity to make om personal acquaintance. Well, we are not naturally of a frigid or even reserved disposition, and very likely, if you take the right kind of measures you can accomplish the desired end. If the distance from Topcka to Lincoln is too great, or the walking too poor, for you to come up, we will do our best to accommodate you by exchanging tintypes. No doubt avc would receive our share of the benefit Arising from such a transaction. The likeness of a more or less fair Washburn co-ed pasted upon the glass door of the old cupboard Which serves as the receptacle for oui exchanges, would certainly be an immense inspiration to us in the lonely hours when we bury ourselves to the neck in "college journalism. The impression commonly prevails Among the people of the northern stAtcs that when the late civil war was ended all those causes of contention which gave vise to it -were buried forever. Yet there arc people in both sections of the country who seem not to realise the fact, and who proceed as though the cessation of the strife of arms was no reason for complete reconciliation. The utterances of such persons find tluii ay into print, and while the chances arc that such scdit. n will fail of re awakening the animosities of thirty yean ucv ertheless they are one of the most disgraceful . u, of American newspaper literature. Perhaps we might well be gin neaier home to mention specific instances of the prac tice; but our attention has more than once been called to ar fclcs of this character printed in southern exchanges . Uni doubtedly grave considerations why thcTJnited States cannot profitably remain undivided must be taken into account by statesmen. It is very true thnt as time passes on the diverse interests of East and West will prove an almost insurmount able obstacle to the continuance of national unity. No doubt the opposing interests of North and South arc causing more trouble to tariff reformers than President Cleveland's mes sage; and it may well seem questionable if compromising leg islation will always prove as satisfactory as now. But these dangers belong entirely to the future, Avhen sectional inter ests shall have become permanent. They arc not at present reasons for the dissatisfaction of southern soreheads. Hut the South has no cause to continue to commiserate itself upon the unhappy fate which necessitated its defeat in the War of the Rebellion. Its cause was not dishonorably lost, and the humiliations which usually fall to a vanquished combatant have not been its lot. But we do not believe tht what we refer tomistaken and inexcusable railing against some of the best and greatest men of the north, or of the nation rep resents the position or belief of the southern people. It is the woik of men of small mind, with a misconception of the spirit of both Noith and South. Those men should be made to reAli7e tliAt thc can do hatm; they should, luithcr, be shown that there is no plAce and no sympathy for those who arc recalling the issues which resulted in so much tic stmction of life and propcily. The man who at this laic day persists in waving the bloody shin dcseives to be branded as a public enemy a traitor to the best interests of the whole nation. It is the duty of college papers of both Noith and South to pel mil no such literature to appear on their pages, foi they have an intlncnco neater than they know. The college public Iias long fell the need of a paper devoted especially to its interests After much waiting '.he necessary Aiticle Iias been supplied, and a weekly journal has been issued from the ciiy of cw Voik bearing the dis appropriate name of University. We have waited some time beiore passing any comment upon il, and we confess as a reason our doubt that it could maintain the standard of excel Icncc set by the first few numbers. But so far each paper has been an improvement upon its predecessors. The Uni versity nrnkes il a point to give accurately and impaitially all interesting college news obtainable; although we arc lai away in the west from the big end of the college world, we can appreciate the advantages thus -given to the disciples of culture in the east. A more impoitant feature of paper, however, is the discussion of the live question which occui to cveiy stu.lent. Opinions upon these by men of experience and authority in the educational world arc of the highest impoit Ancc, and the Univeisity has done much to secure such testimony. The paper has oui best wishes for success and long life. The Coup d'Etat for the present month does not contain much that is worthy of favorable mention beyond an editorial 01 two. One thing, however, it docs contain that we arc constrained to speak about. Many times in our labors with the fruits of "college journalism" we have felt like preaching a sermon, more forcible than elegant, the burden of whose theme would be the titter barrenness and fruillcssness of the callow college intellect; more than once we have been minded to ask oursclf if there was really any legitimate excuse for the existence of college papers. It is very true that the college editors of this generation will be, many of them at any rale, among the leading men of thcjiexl, but we make this statement only because such is the probability, not because they ever produce anything thai foreshadows future greatness. One of the best illustmtions of what we have in mind -the results of straining endeavors to do something woilhy of a Macaulay or Carlylc with only a second class biography, the encyclopedia Britianica, and an untutored though vivid imagination for authority is an article which the Coup d'Etnt prints under the head "Mirabcau," and which the author, no doubt, flatters himself considerably upon. Presumably the aiticle in question is an oration, although no foot note is present to give ns definite in forma tion. Again we wish to protest against such work being put forth as the fruit of college training. It docs not mattei that the article, which purposes to characterise a man of some note, gives an unwarrantably imperfect estimate of its subject. We believe that in such literary productions truth and a knowledge of a subject are mat tore of small impoit ancc. The "oiation" is an undigested mass of flashy language which its author has picked' up in his leading, lie uses it to show off; it is not his own, and it is unnatural to the last degree. Indeed, much of the thing is nothing but bombast, pure and simple. Nevertheless, we can imagine that with a commanding presence and a delivery like the motion of an old fashioned Dutch windmill, its author has held an audience, spell bound, enraptured with his elo quence, and filled with awe at the sight olso much undiluted genius. Will there ever come a time when those people in college who have brains and this gentleman certainly has his share- will be content to let thein be seen upon a back ground of common sense? When Mr. Ingersoll says that American colleges arc places where "diamonds -arc dimmed," we are many limes given reason to agree with him, but it need not be so; and one of the first best ways to refute the statement is to cease doing literary -work of a character which takes away the last spark of originality w individual ity from its author. No doubt this Knox gentleman, who, by the way, i a senior, could give us many profitable lessons on the art of writing, but he is sadly in need ofvone pointer himself. Get full of your subject and write just what you think about it.