THE HESPERIAN.
5
plncc a special tax upon the business is robbery. If they
have not then the business should be prohibited. It seems
reasonable that men should do as they please with their own
property and any reform that involves a denial of property
rights can not be permanent. It is likely that the cure for
most of the great evils of the present day will be found in
more liberty and not in restriction.
The feasibility oi substituting a single legislative body
instead of the present dual legislature is being discussed in
Dakota. It is to be hoped that the new state will have orig
inality enough to try the experiment. In the past, new states
have blindly copied the English form without stopping to
inquire whether it was best or not. The idea of a two house
legislative body has its beginning in the idea of a privileged
aristocracy who hold themselves apart from and superior to
the common herd . The prevailing idea is that the present
form prevents hasty and ill-considered legislation. The be
lief has no foundation in facts. With only one house the
voters could keep track of their representatives with less than
half the effort now required. The mass of the people know
nothing of the acts of their representatives save upon excep
tional questions. This added responsibility will prevent the
passage of any measure without thorough consideration. If
Dakota decides to adopt thi one-house legislature she will
have the honor of leading a true reform, besides reaping
many immediate benefits, both political and financial.
Would commercial union with Canada be beneficial to
the United States? This is answered by Erastus Wiman in
the North American Review and by Senator Morrill in the
Forum. They reach different conclusions but strangely
enough ground them on the same facts. Canada is rich in
natural resources. She has many things that Americans
desire. Iron, coal, copper, salt, all these are there in inex
haustible quantities. Mr. Wiman is elated at the prospect.
Let us congratulate ourselves on our meanness to these great
storehouses of nature and 1ft us remo'e ell barriers that scp
crate us from them. We may make them our own to all
practical purposes if we but will. But now comes the senator
and the clouds swoop down and the way becomes dark. If
we have commercial union with Canada she will allow only
a half of it to go into effect, She will sell us goods, but will
buy none in return- This is equivalent to saying that she
will accept no pay for her goods. Individual Americans do
not object to getting something for nothing yet the senator
thinks it would impoverish us all. How he must thank the
Lord lor holding Canada loyal to the mother country when
the colonies struck out for themselves.
Thought on the land question is becoming more radica
in England. This is Nshown by the position of the two
parties. Some years ago the lierbals were in favor of buy
ing out the great estates and substituting peasant ownership.
The conservatives opposed this scheme with all their might.
Now the liberals are advocating a system of taxes on ground
rents that is substantially the same as Henry George's
single tax on landvalues, and the conservatives have taken up
the purchase scheme- This, if it means any thing , means
that the English are approaching a solution of the land ques
tion that will do away with landlords not in Ireland alone
but in all Great Britain. The extent to which radical
thought has permeated the masses is shown by the late elec
tion. The liberal districts were carried with increased
majorities while the torics lost seats that every one thought
they were sure of. The liberals have even carried the city of
London. They have heretofore elected less than one sixth
of its delegation in parliament. In the newly elected county
council, that is to have control of London municipal
affairs, they have a working majority that is pledged to the
tax on ground rents, to public baths and laundries, and to
government control of monopolies of gas, water and convey- ,
ancc. The extent of this victory in the very stronghold of
conservatism and snobbery has surprised the winners as well
as the losers, and even the men who own that part of the
earth are beginning to be alarmed.
STRA Y PICK- UPS.
Toboggans are out of date at present.
Geo. O. Hcarn is reported on the sick list.
Graham wrestled with the Sigma Chi goat last week.
Thurber's is the latest. In color Plumb's now has a rival.
A. H. Bigelow, '87, has been lobbying at the capitol
during the past week.
How many will attend the Slate Oratorical Contest to be
held at Crete, April 12?
The wind attained a velocity of sixty-five miles an hour
Monday, February 41I1.
French, '89, is becoming desperate. He fears that he
will flunk in prep Latin.
Mr. McClouth, '90, of Hillsdale college, visited the Phi
Delta Thcta boys this week.
Beware of Peterson. He will tell you of the manwhosc
hairturncdwhitcinasinglcnight. Walter wants to know what the other fellow meant by say
ing it was a fine day for the'race.
The Juniors have now reached the ora'ion period of their
existence in the department of English.
When you want some photographs, intei view the business
manager and get an order at reduced rates.
Heffelman's olifactory paled when compelled to face a
northwest wind fourteen degrees below zero.
T. E. Doubt, formerly of '92, is teaching at Sullivan
school house, ten miles south west of Lincoln.
W. W. Robertson, '89, formerly exchange editor on Tiik
HnsrEKIAN, is reportingTor the State Journal.
Professor H. What is the cephilization of man? Mr. H.
Why, man is the head of the animal kingdom.
The Mammoth University Cadet Band and the far-famed
pic worshippers of the lab. will go to Crete, April 12. "
"Can one be a thorough scholar and a christian" is the
question now being discussed in German universities.
The solo in chapel Wednesday morning was appreciated
but the gravity of the occasion would not permit an encore.
E. O. Lewis, '84, an early member of the Alpha chapter
of the Phi Delta Thcta fraternity, visited his alma mater
this week.
We have noticed Baughman Wade in and French Brace
up quite often of late. Their bashfulness is gradually dis
appearing, George L. Campen leavesto goto Wyoming with a B. &
M. engineering crew. "Bracky" smiling &c, &c, will be
greatly &c, &c.
There is nothing that will arouse a student's ire 00 quickly,
as to forget where he has hung his hat when a pretty co-ed is
waiting for him. Why not have a check room?
