UNIVERSITY COURIER.
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too many who read with relish personal attacks that pass all decency and tempt to a disregard of all law. Had there been no public appetite in St. Louis for such degrading journalism, no paper would have made itself notorious there by its attacks. Those who encourage such papers and keep them alive after they transgress are directly responsible for the crimes to which they lead. In a community of a different sort, any respectable citizen would feel quite able to treat with utter contempt any journalistic blackguardism whatever. But where that sort of thing is relished and made town-talk, and considered to invoke a man's "honor" if he does not get down to the level of his assailant at once, the wholesome restraints of law will be disregarded, foul words will be answered with clubs and pistols, and semi-barbarism will prevail. Any state of society is less than half civilized in which it is possible for blackguardism really to injure a gentleman. But the prosperity of any rank specimen of personal journalism in a town is unfavorable evidence as to the state of society there.—N. Y. Tribune.
PROHIBITION.
On the very threshhold of the discussion of this question which is agitating the minds of all our citizens, this great moral principle is involved: The State must prohibit wrong-doing, even to the extent of controlling personal appetites. Like all other moral questions, it is bitterly opposed by all who disregard law and liberty and the rights of humanity. The question resolves itself into this: Shall we, as a State, continue to prohibit the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors, or shall we disregard the prohibitory law, call it despotic and destructive of the liberty and welfare of the people? This law must not be disregarded so long as it remains on our statute books. It cannot be called despotic, as it provides for the social and financial welfare of the people, and for the protection of innocent women and children. It cannot be contrary to liberty, since liberty is found only in a strict obedience to law.
This is not really a political question but it is a moral one. And now to the voting people of Kansas, regardless of race, nationality, or political views, there is a voice calling to you to step forward like men at the coming election, and manifest by your vote that you are for law and liberty, peace and happiness, truth and right. As there is a moral principle at stake it must be met on moral grounds. Then, in answer to the call of the State, the call of broken-hearted mothers and homeless children; ay, and the call of our God, let us stand up for the right. R.W.C.
RAILWAY TRAVEL.
It is high time that the attention and discussion lavished upon one department of railroad traffic should now be turned upon another. The question of cheap grain and cattle transportation has too long engrossed the public mind to the exclusion of the more important one—of safety to travelers. For what American does not make more or less use of our railways as a means of rapid traveling? And should the preservation of life and health be made secondary to the accumulation of wealth? There are such things as unavoidable accidents. But catastrophes like those of Spuyten Duyvil, last January, and the Harlem Tunnel, a few weeks ago, due wholly to criminal neglect and carelessness, are becoming altogether too common. These events are now so common, and with the rapid increase of railroad travel are liable to become so much more frequent, that a decisive step in this matter is made imperative. The railway companies have seen no example of complete justice rendered to the victims of their negligence, to stimulate them in taking precautions for the safety of the thousands of human lives daily entrusted to their care. For all the reckless and needless railroad slaughters which have occurred during the last decade, how many of the guilty persons have been punished? If indictments are found the case is postponed, doubtless on account of the absence of important witnesses, until every one, except those who lost friends or were maimed for life, have forgotten which particular tragedy it was.
The feasibility and justice of the governments managing the railways may well be considered for the safe transportation of passengers as well as the cheap transportation of freight. The great cause of humanity demands that the management of our railroads be made less a mere scheme for amassing individual fortunes, and more a safe and convenient means of traveling for the general public. H.F.S.
LITERARY.
MUSIC.
The life that has no music in it, must be dismal indeed. We cannot imagine the possibility of a human being who has no capacity for enjoying music of some kind. But it is true that our individual tastes differ about this subject as about all others. To some, the songs that nature sings are the sweetest and most comforting, to others a blast upon a trumpet, or the throbbing pulsation of the big bass drum, is the most inspiring sound that can reach their ears. Then there is the difference between the inate consciousness of beauty in sound, and that same idea educated and trained to its greatest capability. The tow-headed backwoods boy may derive quite as much pleasure from the mournful squeaks and groans of a disconsolate accordian as we do unspeakable torture. The discordant booming of the tom-tom may give the home-sick Chinaman the same comfort that we may derive from hearing a sweet voice sing Home, Sweet Home. An ear may be utterly deaf to the exquisite cadences of Beethoven's Songs Without Words, yet turn eagerly to catch the shrill fifting of Yankee Doodle.
There is a great deal of music in the world which we do not heed. But open your ears and listen. A mother is hushing her babe. What a charm in those gentle tones which seem to be made up of love for the little one. Have you ever longed for the days of innocent childhood to come back, or that you might lay your tired head against that dear heart, and have all your troubles sung away? Ah, yes, that is the music we all love.
A little child is at play. Do you not like to hear the joyous laugh and the tender, trustful ripple of the clear voice as the little one says, "I loves you, mamma."
A merry robin comes in the spring-time, and sings in the tree by your window. He does not mean it for you, it is a love song to his little wife, but do you not appreciate it, too?
An old mother hen struts clucking along the path followed by her brood of soft downy chicks. Are you