Kansas University Weekly.
81
University Appropriations.
A review of the condition of affairs in the legislature relative to the University appropriation as it is at the present writing, (Thursday) may be of interest to our readers.
Less than a week after the present session was begun a bill was introduced in the House of Representatives, by Hon. E. T. Hackney, providing for an appropriation of $100,000 for current expenses of the University together with provision for the erection of three new buildings: Chemistry building, a Hall of Natural History, and Engineering shops. This bill was referred to the ways and means committee. In a few days it was reported to the House and the bill as reported reduced the appropriation from $100,000 to $80,000, doing away entirely with the provision for new buildings. This bill passed the House and was then sent to the Senate. The bill coming before the Senate was referred to the committee on ways and means and was in due time reported back to the Senate. However, prior to the return of this bill from the ways and means committee a bill was introduced in the Senate providing for a reduction of the salaries of all state officers excepting the governor's and that of attorney general. This was aimed in particular at the State University for it is considered first in the bill. The bill presumes to reduce the salaries not only of the instructors and employes of the University but also to reduce the expenditure for apparatus. In order to make the reduction consistent with the title of the bill it has placed the various needs of the University, such as books for the library, maps, chemical apparatus and the like under the head of instructive and under the head of salary has placed the amount to be expended for these various necessities. The bill also provides for a punishment by $500 fine or imprisonment for a certain period of the one who uses more money for these particular objects than the bill provides. Another proof that the bill is aimed particularly at the University is that no such detailed provision for expenditures is made for any other educational institution in the state. This bill was introduced by Senator Jumper of Osage county. It was referred at once to the committee on fees and salaries and was reported back to the Senate before the bill from the ways and means committee was reported. Last Friday Senator Jumper's bill came up before the Senate and was passed by a strict party vote and was sent to the House. The bill reduces the appropriation to $84,000. The House bill when finally reported in the Senate was set back on the calender.
This then is the present situation of the University appropriation bill.
"The Rivals."
Wednesday night "The Rivals" was presented to a large and fashionable audience by the Kansas University Comedy Club. The performance was satisfactory in every respect. The players put life and earnestness into their work, and their audience was thoroughly appreciative. The fraternities were conspicuous in box and "line" parties.
The play itself is one which offers every inducement to the student-actor, professional or amateur; its lines fairly teem with possibilities. The wit in the play is pungent; the ludicrousness of the situations is irresistible; the tone of the piece is edifying and genteel. The cast seemed to have caught a proper conception of the play and it achieved an unmistakable success in working out the same.
Georgia H. Brown and Clyde Miller, in the respective capacities of director and business manager, were, perhaps, chiefly responsible for the unqualified success of the production.
The individual acting at the initial performance surpassed in excellence even the most sanguine expectations of those most interested in the participant students. Georgia Brown as Mrs. Malaprop again showed herself an actor as well as a director. Her voice was suitable; her actions and manners were consistently dignified and pompous; and her malapropisms were uttered with fetching unconsciousness and magniloquence. Miss Eva Brown was an inimitable Lydia. She portrayed Miss Languish's