UNIVERSITY COURIER.
9
On the 31st of the month he died. In his last moments his quivering lips announced, "The South! The poor South. God knows what will become of her."
TOPICS.
REFORM CLUBS.
The Pendleton Bill has finally passed the Senate, and now awaits the action of the House. Whether the House approves it or not, its recent passage shows a decided change in public sentiment during the past year if we are to suppose the Senators simply echoed the wish of their constituents. One thing, however, is to be deplored. As passed, the bill bears the tinge of party jealousy. It is, however, a step in the right direction, we believe, and in time may become perfectly nonpartisan.
One interested in the causes of political changes will find in this a subject for thought. Undoubtedly the fact that our civil service was becoming debased, first attracted the notice of the true politician, who immediately set to work to find the defects in our governmental machinery. The press, in a very small degree, soon became the organ through which he reached the people. In that way, a few became converts to the doctrine of Civil Service Reform. But a great majority, I believe, became its advocates through the influence of reform clubs. I remember having heard a Kansas member of the present House say on the eve of the recent election while fearing the returns from his district, "Chief among those elements that have worked against me in this election stands the Reform Club. To cap the climax, it sent out circulars asking the different candidates their position upon the question of Civil Service Reform." I fail to see how this affected his election, but it shows that he felt uneasy in regard to his action upon the matter. In his canvas he was silent upon the subject. After the ballot was taken he feared he had under-estimated the influence of the Civil Service documents distributed throughout the State. He had, but as that was not the primary issue of the campaign in Kansas his fears were groundless. This, however, shows that the Reform Clubs exerted a broad influence. In fact I believe they did more towards waking the people to a realization of the real status of affairs, than any one force then at work.
THE OUTLOOK.
As the day approaches upon which the newly elected representatives of the Democratic party are to engage in their work, both as legislators and executives, we see many demonstrations indicating that the Democrats are not going to make good use of their victory. The New York Sun says that there are nearly one hundred applicants for each position in the State of New York, patiently awaiting a gubernatorial appointment. It deprecates the action of these office-seekers, and further says that the principle-loving Democrats are denouncing these propagators of the "spoils system." Now what does that mean? Nothing more nor less than that the Democratic party, like the Republican, is divided against itself; purity and justice versus patronage and the degradation of the civil service.
This, to me, is one of the strongest indications that these two parties have numbered their days. It cannot
be otherwise. For years they have been breathing an air contaminated by the influence of spoilation, corruption, bribery, capital and corporations. To-day we find it so impure that the truth-loving people are anxious to leave it, but they still cling to the party name, and when an election day approaches, party spirit runs so high that they still vote with their early choice, thus strengthening a system of civil debauchery that they have denounced in the strongest terms.
What is there in this name of party that makes it so attractive? Ask either party to-day what is its peculiar doctrine, and a majority of either cannot tell. Sift the matter to the bottom, and 'twill be found that the greater number of either party are its adherents simply because their parents were.
Neither combination advocates a principle that is peculiar to its own organizationr In different sections we find that parties look upon the same question through different glasses. Hence every political idea advocated at present, except a general reform in the management of affairs, is purely local.
I look upon the action of the Independent Republicans everywhere, and of those Democrats who denounce their office-seeking brethren, as simply the expression of a healthy sentiment throughout our land. Such action declares that men are thinking. Thinking, not how to remain in these many faced parties, but rather how to cast a vote that shall aid purity, not vice. As the number of these thinking men increases, the party walls crumble, and whether a new party be formed or not, our country cannot fail to reap good from the influence of such men.
We knew some time ago the attitude of the Independent Republicans, and the recent defeat of the ruling party has shown us that there are Democrats sincere in their demands for reform. The outlook is promising. With a union of these two elements, sick of seeing party legislation palmed off upon the people for national enactments, the reforms needed would be carried through successfully.
NORMAL.
TEACHERS CERTIFICATES.
The importance, or rather the necessity, of maintaining public schools of the highest type possible, is now conceded by all. Especially is this true in a country whose ruling power lies within the masses. Hence, every step taken that tends to perfect or sustain existing practices and principles of didactics is a motion in the interest of every one alike. To such a degree is this fact acknowledged that almost all civilized nations now have a system of public schools, sustained at public expense. Nor is the United States near the rear on this subject. On the contrary, no other nation on the globe has taken a more advanced position than has our own. In fact such has been the growth of the system and of public sentiment in its favor, that every State in the Union has a plan of education by which almost every child may secure a thorough course of instruction at public expense.
As these schools derive their entire support from the State, it naturally follows that they should be subject to such regulations as the State might choose to prescribe. Among the many objects for legislation, touching the school question, that hearing on the licensing of teach-