The Students Journal
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
BY THE
Students Journal Publishing Co.
BUSINESS MANAGERS
Frank H. Moore  Editor-in-Chief
Rollin E. Blackman  Lacq Editor
Arthur L. Corbill  Literary Editor
BUSINESS MANAGERS:
CHAS, H. LEASE, WARREN EDWARDS
ASSOCIATES
Jno. H. Henderson ... Literary
W. C. Aitchison ... Loen
Frank E. House ... Exchanges
O. H. Parker ... The Italys
Jas. V. May ... Athletics
The stock of the STUDENTS JOURNAL company consists of non-transferable one dollar shares. Any student, instructor or employee in university may hold one and only one share.
This paper is on file at the editorial rooms of the University, Review, 236. Fifth avenue, New York, where all college men are given a hearty welcome.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN once wrote a story about a whistle. It would be profitable perhaps, for many of us to read it, and apply it, when we consider the different things to which we devote our time.
SOMETHING ought to be accomplished when, as at the meeting which adopted the new constitution of the athletic association, speakers vie with each other in advocating the "purification" of University politics. It was a significant fact, however, that the two classes of speakers would effect this "purification" by methods diametrically opposed.
Some kind hearted individual, by issuing a challenge open to Freshmen, Sophomore or Juniors, to play a ball game with the Seniors, has given the Seniors an opportunity to show a little class spirit. Let the good work goon. Some one now, should tell the Seniors what exercises to have on class day, in order that they may begin the preparation of a program. It takes time to prepare a creditable class day program, and the time until the end of the term will not be more than sufficient.
The college debate is one of the chief themes of discussion of most of our exchanges. The subject of the debate between Wisconsin and Minnesota is announced in the last number of the *Arch* of Minnesota University: "Would the complete exclusion of foreign immigrants for a period of ten years, be preferable to a continuance of the present freedom of immigration for the same period?" What will be the subject of the debate between Nebraska and Kansas?
It does not seem probable that, as a source of revenue to the Athletic Association, the membership fee of 50 cents will yield a smaller return than the fee of $1.50, which was originally proposed; for a much larger number of students will become members of the Association, if the fee is 50 cents. In either case, the total revenue would probably be of the same amount. The majority of the students here, are in circumstances that require strict economy; they have only a small fixed sum to pay for pleasures, or for the support of University organizations. With many of them, the question would be, whether they should pay $1.50 for the privilege of voting for the officers of the Athletic Association, or should pay the same amount to gain admittance to baseball and football games; at any rate if they paid the membership fee, they would probably be compelled to forego the pleasure of seeing some of the games. It is evident that, under these circumstances, most of the students would not become members of the Association. With the fee at 50 cents, the student will not be compelled to deprive himself of the privilege of voting, or of the pleasure of seeing the games. The revenue of the Athletic Association will be just as great, and by a large membership, the students' enthusiastic support of the organization will be assured.
It is desirable that the Academic Association be removed from the influence of University politics; and, for this reason we voted against the amendment that proposed to retain for the student body, the power of choosing president, vice president, etc. But we believe that a membership fee of $1.50 would have effects fully as harmful as that amendment; it would disfranchise the majority of the students, because they would not feel able to pay it; and it would thus give the control of the Association to a small ring or clique. Such a state of affairs would be disastrous to the organization, for experience has shown that the students will not support financially or otherwise. University enterprises which are under the control of rings or factions.
WE CALL the attention of the student to the reasons given by the Courier on recuming publication, for its rejection of the plans for union of the papers. The objection that factions were not recognized by the constitution of the proposed paper; and that for this reason, the paper could not succeed, does not seem very weighty. Fairness to both "factions" was secured by the provision, that nothing which was objected to by the representative of either "faction."—and it was provided that both "factions" should be all ways represented, should be published; and we do not know of any organization at the University of so much importance that it need should a special organ to voice its opinions. Newspapers conducted according to the plan proposed have been very successful in other colleges, and there is no reason why one should not succeed here. We are unpractical enough to believe that if one strong paper, of a high standard enough to be a lit representative of the University, were once established according to this plan, the students would become enthusiastic in its support', and, in order to put men in charge who could maintain its high standard, would be willing to forego the fractional strife that either kills or cripples every enterprise that is started here. But the students understand the situation, they can judge for themselves of the strength or weakness of the Courier's position.
K. U. Took Second Place.
Another proof, if the number of them was not already more than sufficient, has been given of the need of changes in the rules determining the ranks of contestants in the oratorical contests. Mistakes arising out of the present method of computing ranks seem innumerable. It is now discovered that our representative, instead of Mr. Courney of the State Normal School, is entitled to second place in the State contest. The marks and ranks as announced after the contest are:
COLLEGE.
Thought and Composition
Draft F. M. Spencer
Proof Taylor ... ... ...
According to this table the State Normal has rank 2 and the State University rank 3. In determining ranks of the contestants, the grades of each judge are ranked 1 2 3 4 ete ; the sum of the ranks of each contestant, is then taken and the contestant, the sum of whose ranks is smallest is given rank one. But it will be seen by the table, that one of the judges, Judge Earle, gave six contestants a grade of 100, and gave the Stats Normal representative a grade of 98. The constitution does not provide for cases where a judge gives more than one contestant the same grade, and there is
doubt as to what rank should be given to the grade immediately below the tie grades. Shall Mr. Courtney's grade 98 be ranked 2, since it is next below the grades 100, or shall it be ranked 7 as there are six grades higher than the grade 98? Fortunately the question can be answered aptly, though the constitution made no provision; for it was decided in the case of Cook vs. Campbell, who represented respectively the College of Emporia and the State Normal School in the State contest two years ago. The decision on this question, which gave Miss Campbell, of State Normal School, the higher rank, will if followed in this case make the rank given by judge Earle to Mr. Courtney, also of the State Normal school, 7.
This seems to be the fair way of ranking such grades; in this case Judge Earle gave 6 grades higher than Mr. Courtney's and his grade therefore is ranked as seventh. With the rank 7 given him by Judge Earie, the sum of Mr. Courtney's ranks is greater than that of Mr. Sears; and I Kansas State University therefore, holds second place.
The State Normal School can not consistently do otherwise than support Mr. Sears' claim to second place, as it clearly defined its position on the question two years ago.
A meeting of the local oratorical association has been held, and Mr. J. L. Harrington instructed to communicate with the other members of the State Oratorical Association, in order to arrange for the meeting of delegates to change the ranking of the State Normal and the State University. College Life proposes that a convention of delegates, one from each school, be called to change the constitution, making it more explicit with regard to the method of computing ranks. These two matters may be attended to at the same meeting, and as they are of considerable importance, and other questions of importance may come up for consideration, we believe that there should be a convention of delegates one from each school, elected especially for this meeting, empowered to change the constitution, and to settle other matters that may come before them.
The general opinion of the people at the contest, was that Mr. Sears deserved a rank at least as high as second, and had they not been prevented by the peculiar system of grading, it appears that this would have been the decision of the judges.
The New Time-Schedule
In order to make room for the classes in physical culture, for both girls and boys, a new timeschedule was put into operation last Wednesday. Hereafter all Freshmen and Sophomore classes, which have before this recited at 9 o'clock, will begin recitation at 8 o'clock and continue until 8:50. Then chapel exercises will be held for twenty minutes, and the other classes will recite in their usual order.
Also to make room for both girls and boys training in physical culture, six day sessions will be begun. All Wednesday afternoon classes will recite Saturday morning and a class in physical culture will also recite at that time. In this way the girls will be able to obtain their physical training under Mrs. Clark. Mendays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and the boys classes will recipe Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays under Pint Crow. By this change, all students will be given two half holidays Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, and after they become accustomed to this plan, they will undoubtedly prefer it to the old one.
Two noteworthy additions to the University library have been recently made. One of them is a presentation copy of the "Life of Prince Albert Edward." It was presented to Mrs.W. E. Channing by Queen Victoria, and contains her signature on the title page. The other is a translation of "Brouhid" by George T. Dippold. The book was given to Professor Dipold of Harvard University by the author, and has been presented by Professor Childs to the University
OUR STUDY WINDOW
Guilty or Not Guilty.
In this world below, justice is ever in a quandary. Acting upon the supposition that man should be paid according to his deserts, she must accurately determine what those deserts are. When her calculations are incorrect, a wrong is the result. That she often does fail to determine the deserts of an individual is obviously true, and therefore we say that the world is full of injustice and wrong.
But with the exception of a small class, people have an unexplainable faith in the absolute ultimate goodness of the universe, and many explanations of this seeming paradox have been offered. Some believe that the most satisfactory one is that there is no such thing as desert, and therefore of course no such thing as injustice; but that this is sufficiently opposed to the common belief has been well demonstrated recently in the newspapers. It is the unanimous verdict of the newspaper fraternity that Thomas Hill received his just deserts in this life, and is undoubtedly now receiving them in the next also. How he could receive two rewards, both being just, they do not explain; but whether or not he had any deserts at all, and even on account of his faults, Thomas Hill was an interesting character.
To any account of his boyhood I have not had access, nor indeed to an account of any part of his life. Such facts as I here chronicle, must be directly from my personal recollections of him, and those are necessarily confined to the last thirty years of his life. That his youthful training had a great influence upon him is very probable, as he always evinced the same tendencies throughout his career. Thomas was the oldest of five brothers, all of whom came to Kansas late in the fifties. Settling in a county next to the Missouri line, they at once showed their business ability, holding close together and thus being of great mutual assistance. That the instinct for money-making dominated them was shown by their staying at home from the war and indulging extensively in the practice known as joy hawking. To be sure this was not considered reprehensible by the people of that time, nor of this either perhaps, but men who had the deepest regard for the moral law were not jaw hawkers. In this and various other ways the brothers collected quite a respectable capital to start with. Thomas, on account of his being the oldest and also on account of his being the best business manager, was always the head of the firm of Hill & Bros. They started stores of general merchandise in several little towns, and soon became the leading merchants of the county.
But Thomas was especially successful. Almost sole owner of several flourishing business establishments, the president of three banks, he practically held the interests of a whole county in his hand. Everyone could see that his wealth was rapidly increasing; thousands of acres of land came into his possession through mortgages; no public sale was complete unless he was present to discount the notes. And still he was perhaps the most popular man in the county; everyone united in praising the honesty and capacity of "Tom" Hill. There were a few however, scattered here and there, who persisted in declaring that the public was greatly deluded, and that Hill was a rascal of the first class. But these were only persons whom chance had put in his road, as, arm in arm with the law, or at least with its officers, he pursued his rapid course. They were no more numerous than the enemies of almost any successful and popular business man.
Thus he held his course for over twenty-five years, a uniformly rapid and brilliant business course, with no deviations of any importance. At the age of sixty, care was beginning to have its effect upon his hair and features, but he was still bandome and was a very pleasant man to meet. He had very affable manners
and a business like air which said; state your business briefly and to the point.
But what was the character of his thoughts and feelings at the end of twenty-five years of this training? His methods of business had not differed from those of many men who have retired with great honor, and after death have been extolled as model citizens. How was it that there was such a different fate in store for Thomas Hill? Certainly he was very much alive to his own interests, but he always kept within the lawor if not always, he evaded it only when it was the custom to do so. Did these methods have such an unusual effect upon Hill? Had he during these twenty-five years, gradually become so wrapped up in his own int rests that at last he forgot that others had any rights, almost even that they existed? Is it possible that he could have so utterly lost sight of all beauty, truth, and goodness, as to rob partners in business of their capital, farmers or their homes, widows and aged parents of their only support? Yet it is of this that he was accused. Even though this be true, he could not have forseen the widespread terrible results of his action and still persisted. Are men so different by nature that with precisely the same training, one may turn out a saint, another the most detestable villain under the sun? This is what the various newspaper reports would indicate.
Thomas Hill was still in the height of his glory when the great panic came. There were hundreds of failures all over the country, and under ordinary circumstances the fact that he failed also would not be surprising. But in this case the circumstances seemed peculiar. Of course Hill put forth every effort seemingly to avoid the impending ruin. He mortgaged all his land for as much cash as possible; he borrowed all his townmen had to lend; he sold some of his stores; he solicited deposits for his banks. The amount of money that he collected in these various ways was immense, for he had the confidence of everybody. "Tom Hill fail? Pooh! heools all the panics of twenty-five years. He helped me when I was in trouble and now it's my turn." Thus each one helped and the money poured in but it was of no avail. Every establishment belonging to Thomas Hill was closed. The depression caused by this event cannot be described. Business practically ceased. Banks and stores were shut down everywhere. Still all might be well, for everyone believed that Hill could pay out and re-open business. It was only when it was announced that he could not pay out or re-open business and that there were practically no assets, that suspicion entered, changed to indignation, to hate and desire for revenge.
When those who had given their all into his keeping realized their position, the results were as terrible as they were various. A wealthy farmer, who with his family had toiled long years only to lose at one stroke the entire product, was stricken with apoplexy within a week. A young man, the only support of his aged parents, having lost his home and fortune, died or brain fever after badly cursing Hill in all the streets of the town. A leading merchant became a raving maniac, and attempted to kill his wife; his son, sick in bed, leaped out to prevent the deed, and as a result became so much worse that he died in a few days.
What must have been the thoughts of Thomas Hill if he were the dishonest villain that he seemed? What were they if he were an honest man? The people asked, and with justice, where were the thousands of dollars so recently obtained? The mansion in which he lived was in his wife's name; all his property was either sold or mortgaged so as to be worthless to creditors. What could Hill have said, had he been guilty or not guilty? He was accused of having the money in his possession; of having failed when it was unnecessary and merely for the sake of increasing his wealth.
Thomas Hill, who a few weeks before had been a very wealthy and powerful man, was now in danger for his life. The
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