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THE HESPERIAN.
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ical sharks who continue to play to the popular tunc but
dance for the political ring. II the government wishes to
successfully inaugurate a reform, it must be put into the
hands of a commission who talk and act the same thing!
who practice what they preach. If congress would compel'
the civil service commission to take their own medicine then
'he commission might be more vigilcnt in seeing that the
other departments took the medicine also, and civil service
reform might come more nearly reaching the point for which
it was intended than it docs at present.
Assistant Postmaster-General Clarkson has certainly won
the good will of American working women. So long as
women have been employed in governmental service,
although they have long been acknowledged to be moiC
skillful and rapid in much of the work, they have always re
ceived less salary, by several hundred dollars, than do men
for the same positions. It has also been the unwritten law
that no lady should receive more than $1200 salary, and only
a chosen few receive that amount. In the reorganization of
one of the departments, not long since, a lady being the fit'
test of the applicants for a $1600 position, Mr. Clarkson forth
with appointed her. This is as it should be. There can be
no reason why a woman should do the same work for less
pay than a man, and the only reason that it is so is that they
will work for less rather than not have the work to do.
UNIVERSITY FIELD-WORK.
This summer has been marked by a largely increased
amount of field work in the natural sciences on the part of
representatives of the University. This is encouraging, and
means more for the welfare of the state than most people are
apt to think. Many of the practical problems of agriculture,
stock raising and other kindred occupations arc decided by
scientific investigations.
Professor Hesscy spent a few days enriching the University
herbarium by a botanical trip to the northwest part of the
state.
Entomologist Bruncr and H. J. Webber made a six weeks'
expedition in the interests of entomology and botany. Their
first stop was made at liroken Dow, where a large number of
specimens were secured, but nothing very extraordinary was
encountered. Then a week was spent in working up the
region around New Helena, Custer county. Some good finds
were made here. A curious natural feature called the
"canj on" was worked where there has been an extensive
cedar forest. At Thedford, Merismopedia vhlateae, Breb.,
never before found in the state, was encountered. Ricia fu
itaiis and Leimiu trisuha .ire .ilso noteworthy. The Dismal
river region was unexpectedly found to be an 'xccedingly
interesting region, the most surprising finds being made. Six
ferns are native of the region, the largest two and a half feet
long. The two rarest were Azol'a caroliniam and Woodsin
oregaiux, heretofore found only in New Yoik, Florida, Cali
fornia ami Arizona. A rare Astragalus (pictus var. ftlifol
mm) anil two new grasses were also discovered here. Alli
ance, Pine Ridge, Crawlord and Fort Robinson were visited
and laige number of specimens secured. Then wagon was
taken to Harrison and the extreme noith-west corner of the
state .was investigated. Artemisia tridriilntu was found for
the first time in Nebraska. The mountain maple, Acer glab
rum, and water beech, Carpinus americmiti, were found to
enter Nebraska. Here also four species of Cottonwood,
J'fipulits momliferu, tremtiloidesfjialsnmifera and angustifolia
were found in one canyon. It was found that treeless
Nebraska has extensive pine forests in ibis section. Some
stops were made on the return trip and other specimens se
cured. At Thedford two Charas, new in Nebraska flora, were
found. These had been badly needed In the University lab
oratory. Mr. Uruner devoted his special attention to insects injur
ious to the trees planted on tree claims. His most note
worthy discovery was that of a rare tiger-beetle, which is
worth a good deal more than its weight in gold to any col
lection. About 1,000 species of plants were brought home
and a very large number of insects.
Later in the summer Mr. Webber and Mr. Haggard took
a jaunt down to the southeast comer of Nebraska, and
walked up the Missouri from Rulo to Rrownvillc. The ob
ject of this trip was to catch the eastern flora which is invad
ing Nebraska. A number of new comers were captured.
Jarcd Smith took train to Alliance and worked the region
south to the Platte for grasses.
Professor Nicholson, accompanied by Herbert Marsland
and Ed. Nicholson, went up on the Elkhom and the Niobrara
for the purpose of securing specimens of the soils and
water of that region. Analysis of the soil was made for the
puiposc of ascertaining its adaptability for the raising of
sugar beets and other root crops. The waters were examined
with reference to discovering any medicinal springs and to
the purity of the rivers likely to be used for water supplies.
Ncligh, Long Pine, Chadron and Pine Ridge, Alliance and
Ft. Robinson were the localities visited.
Just before school began Messrs. Uruner and Marsland
made another trip, more especially after the rare tiger-beetle
above mentioned. Alliance, Crawford, the "bad lands" and
Pine Ridge were worked and some 500 specimens of various
kinds secured. On this trip Mr. Uruner discovered the
cochineal insect, only once before reported in the state.
Professor Hicks and E. R. Tinglcy spent some time work
ing on the geology of Lancaster county during the early
vacation. Altogether this is a very respectable showing for
the University and will help materially in raising the reputa
tion of the institution as the various discoveries arc reported
tn the scientific journals. May the good work go on.
ALTERATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
As is usual when the students return in the fall, they find
this year that many brains have been busy planning and
many hands in executing improvements in the University.
In University hall the aim has b;cn to get the various de
partments localized.
On the third floor the room next the Union hall has been
given to Professors Hunt and Sherman for joint use as office.
At the other end of the hall is the modern language depart
ment, Professors Edgrcn and Fooler occupying room 26 and
28. On the second floor, Instructor Hodgmau takes the
room next Professor Hitchcock's to the west, bringing math
ematics together. Professor Caldwell occupies the old library
room, and the Seniors decide politico economic problems
under the direction of Dr. Warner in the adjoining room,
where once the preps did congregate to whisper and to giggle.
On the first flooi Instructor Emory takes room 5, ami Dr.
Wolfe room 1. Professor Little's department is located in
rooms 4, 8 and 10, and he may have a room in the basement
for experimental work. Room 2 is set aside for the use of
the regen's and faculty. During the first of the term it was
also used as a registry room.
The greatest change is seen in the new library room.
The old museum has been transformed, by means of paper,
1 paint and new shelving, into a very respectable library. It
' is fully twice as large as the old library, yet it is almost full.
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