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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (June 12, 1889)
TNJS HESPEklAfr. f America and degradation in the poorer dosses of Eu rope, Washington was inaugurated. Dangers have passed away. Independence has become a reality. But. .whero aro the men on whom have fallen the mantles of Washington, Adams, and Jefferson? Have wo a great man not the product of war and times of peril? Imag ine a president carrying out his will. Ho is a slave to party. Reform begins at. home. Congress cannot bo purer than its source. Increasing centralization endan gers rebellion. Lot the government again bo of, by, and for the people, or liberty will bo dethroned. America does not lack good men ; every crisis brings them out. Reform, unlike empire, takes its way eastward. Hero yet linger pioneer enterprise and indifference to hardships. High license was born in Nebraska, prohibition in Iowa. Tho East follows. Let colleges teach rovcronco for tho great men of tho past, but lot them teach also a knowl edge of government and a prido in its purity. Independ ence is as essential to tho individual as to tho nation. Lot our colleges tench that fraternities and sworn broth erhoods weaken individuality, if they do not destroy character. Thus will our country become a really cath olic nation gront, glorious and free. "Restricted Immigration" was thoBubjectof tho foren sic element of the program. F. II. "Woods took the affirmative. He spoke with much force and expression. Prompting was necessary once or twice. To what is our country's present prosperity and wealth duo? Largely to the immigrants who have enabled us to develop our resources. Immigration has been encour aged. Why change? If tho character of the immigrants has changed, or tho country uo longer needs such an in-pouring flood of pop. ulation, wo are justified in restricting it. Since the voy age to America has been mado easy, it is no longer the skilled laborers, but the paupers and criminals who come. Three-fourths of our lunatics, paupers, and crim inals aro foreign. America is tho dumping ground of Europe. Seventy-five per cent, of immigrants arc un skilled laborers, useless even as farmers. Our land is nearly gone. Look nt Oklahoma. Our incrense of popu lation will fit! all our laud in ten years. Immigrants flock to cities, raiso anarchy, tench murder, vote corrup tion. It iB not just to our laborers to make them com pete with such men. Tho American laborer is the Amer ican citizen. His character must not bo degraded. We prohibit the influx at tho Golden Gato; wo must restrict thai of Custlo Garden. Leave the difficulties of tho prob lem to tho American statesmen who have mot greater problems. J. II. Marble opposed Mr. Woods with an argument equally logical. Mr. Marble spoke freely and rapidly, directly to his hearers. Thero was a slight monotony in his gestures, but his earnestness of manner went far to carry conviction. Such a phenonomon as tho constaut, vast stream of immigrants to America was never before seen. It is a tremendous influence for good or for ovil. Tho question resolves itself into two parts: Desirability of donso population and the character of tho emigrants. Dcnso .population is tho causo of our civilization. It makes possible co-operation, division of labor, the ubo of machinery. No danger from over-population. Power increases faster than population. Public land may bo all gone, but it is not half utilized. Magnificent mineral resources aro undeveloped. Over-population does not hurt Ireland, India, China. Tyranny and taxation does. Whero are the populations of history? A fow Arabs in Carthage, miles of waste in Asia Minor. 'Tho Creator mado no mistake in tho size of tho earth. Wo aro told that, tho emigrants of to-day are inferior to those of the "good old days." Virginia and Georgia were settled by couvicts and broken-down aristocrats. Tho pauper Tilgrim Fathers begid corn of tho Indians. Competi tion in labor is the true objection to immigration. Ma chinery also competes. But neither cause tho present labor troubles. Mal-distribution of wealth is the true causo. A violin solo by Prof. G. C. Menzendorr was finely exe cuted. Being encored, horendered another selection with delicate expression. C. M. French followed with nn oration, "Birth of Power." He showed himself at ease on tho stage and nccustomed to public sjwaking. Periodicity is as much the rule in history as in fashion. Tho past teaches us how to act in the present emergency. In reform, period icity is marked. Slavery stood in the path of progress. The Abolitionists roused a sense of humanity. From them sprang tho republican parti, which wiped away slavery. Strikes and labor troubles arouse thinking men to-day. Capital seizes tho mnchinery of govern ment. Law makers are in tho market. The sons of toil hold balanco of power, but vote with the millionaire. Anarchy is tho handwriting on the wall of to-day. The laboring man will fill congress. Purity of manhood will bo set against shoddy plutocracy. Tho labor party will become what tho republican party has proved a "Birth of Power." Miss Flora Hull entertained tho nudieuco with " Mark Twain's Experience with an Interviewer." Miss Hull was most graceful in her delivery and acted her dual part well. Mine. Weber closed tho programme with "Thine my Thoughts Are, Margarita," sung with charming skill and expression. An encore was insisted upon, and she gave a low, Bweot cradle song. CLASS DAY EXERCISES. The credit of inaugurating "Class Day " belongs to the class of '89, and the first program was a great success. Tho exercises occurred at 9:.'i0 a.m. on Tuesday Juno 11. President Webber called tho audience to orderand said a few words in praise of tho class and its enterprise in getting up "Class Day." Miss Tower, Miss Hnggard, and Mr. Manloy, tho performers, sat upon tho platform. Miss Laura Haggard was tho first to tako tho floor. She read in too low a tone to bo well hoard. Wo give tho main points of her OKNKHAI. CIjAHR lllHTOUY. Tho fall of '85 was momentous In tho history of tho University of Nebraska, for then tho cIurb of 'SO received from thesmlllng registrar their pink enrds proclaiming thorn Freshmen. K wns tho opsnlngot a uow era In Unlvorsity nffnlrs, for tho class was larger, more enthu siastic nnU cnorgotlc than any provlouR clnss. Thuir first movo was to arouso tho unifying love nnil admiration of tho faculty, tho registrar, and tho Janitor; tho first, by thclrsupor nnturnlly brinlnnt endowments; tho second, by their suavity; nnd tho third, by donations of eatables and tho rendition of Boveral choice musical compositions. Then tho class organized nnd con tested for offlceH In tho dignified and conciliatory manner natural to Freshmen. Mr. Gcrwlg had tho honor to ba tho first president; Miss Mockott, vice presidont; Mr. Holmes, historian ; Miss Maker! secre tary. , The class found intellectual food alono.inpuvnclont, nnd nn enjoyn-
