6
UNIVERSITY COURIER.
they but consulted with experienced men. The changing of courses from the scientific to the classical, and from that to the modern literature, cannot be too loudly decryed. This way of doing work is pernicious and ruinous. No such thing as thoroughness can be secured in this mode of procedure.
The student does not know these inevitable consequences, but he vainly flatters himself that he knows all about them. He dabbles in a study here and a study there. He is irregular in his work and when the last year rolls around and the time draws near a desire, a longing fills his soul, to graduate. But alas! there are studies to be "made up." This is the bane of the irregular student; but he does not know it. It has an effect analogous to irregular habits; sooner or later the constitution will be prostrated. Every one should treat the instructor as a confidential advisor, and not as one to be suspected of some design. The instructor cares nothing for mere memory work. He wishes to impart the right ideas of life; to set the young idea on the right track. He wants to educate young people to think. The professor is a skilled workman, and if you let him alone he will make of you an ornament fit to fill an important niche in the structure of our commonwealth.
TOPICS.
CAUCUSES.
It is the duty of every man living in the United States to nominate and vote. Every man is a citizen. Each citizen should bear an equal share of the task of restraining men from wrong-doing, or encouraging them to right-doing,—an equal share in the solution of the problem of government. At present there is a very large number of hard-working men whose consciences are alive, who are never at the primary meetings and seldom at the polls. They excuse themselves by saying that their time is so occupied in bread-winning that they cannot afford to attend every meeting, and not attending all, they care not to attend any. They are not entirely wrong. There is a large amount of truth on their side. The politicians have made as many different sets of nominating conventions as possible. There are too many elections. The people are asked to attend the school election; the meetings of the agricultural fair society; the caucuses for township or city officers, for county officers, for district judge, for congressmen, for state senator, for state officers, for national officers; the township election; the general election; and special elections. Neither the farmers nor the best men of the city can find time to attend these four to seven caucuses and four or five elections. It is possible to lessen the number. The meeting of the agricultural society should be on the last day of the fair, for at other times only the city sporting men can attend. One school election and one general election will suffice. To elect delegates to the township or city conventions, to the county convention, to the state, district, or national conventions, but one annual caucus is necessary.
TORNADOES.
Long ago it was written in the book of Job "Out of the south cometh the whirlwind." History tells us that
in all times the inhabitants of the warmer zones have felt these frowns of Jupiter. The remembrance of these storms in Kansas being still vivid, the description of "Tornadoes and Their Causes," in the North American Review, by T. B. Maury, will be eagerly read by our citizens. The term "cyclone,' usually given to these storms, is incorrect. A cyclone is an extended whirlwind with a calm center which is miles in diameter. Our storms are tornadoes, that is, very small cyclones, the funnel never exceeding one-fourth of a mile in diameter. Prof. Maury says: "A violent whirling of the clouds should forewarn western people of impending danger. With extraordinary uniformity, tornadoes have always been known in our hemisphere to travel from west-south-west to east-north-east. A house or town built in a valley running from southeast to northwest, or on the northwestern slope of hills would be considerably sheltered. Level tracts and valleys in the regular course of tornadoes are dangerous situations. Retreat on clear indications of a tornado to cellars or excavations is often the means of saving life." Every Kansan will agree with these statements.
FAIRS.
ALMOST every one, old and young, will attend the fairs. A matter of course, for the fairs are the people's shows. Each one may contribute by his skill and genius to make the fair attractive. Unquestionably fairs do much good in disseminating a knowledge of useful things, and in affording some days of wholesome recreation and friendly intercourse after a busy season of the year. But, as conducted at present, there are some wrong things that should be rooted out. Why must that ever prominent, unprincipled greed of gain cause what might be wholly good to be marred by things dishonest and evil? Why do the managers of our fairs allow gambling and catch-penny affairs to go side by side with the products of honest toil and nature? Last year I saw five men constantly busied at a wheel of fortune, raking in the quarters that ever covered their tables. Can any one go home from such a game as this feeling nobler or better? And, too, those things that contribute most to the comfort and happiness of the people ought to be recognized by the largest premiums and the most prominent places in the advertisements. With this consideration are fast horses of more value than the best exhibit of fruits, of grain and (certain "practical" ones may sneer) of flowers? Let not those men who pretend to be public spirited and educators allow anything of doubtful character to be connected with our fairs without their best efforts in rebuke.
W. C. S.
THE EGYPTIAN WAR.
At present the attention of the civilized world is engrossed by a struggle which, though now comparatively small, may before it is ended become general. The land of the oldest civilization, the home of the Pharaohs has been invaded. England with her characteristic greediness is continually grasping all within her reach. The echoes of her guns had scarcely died away among the mountains and deserts of Afghanistan before their thunders were heard resounding through the valley of the Nile.
It has long been evident that Egypt must come entirely under the control of some foreign nation besides