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Kansas University Weekly.
the party business. This intemperance has been a misfortune rather than a fault. Now, is there not some way of averting social excess hereafter? Let committees from the various fraternities meet in joint session sometime during the winter term and agree upon a schedule of dates for the ensuing season. We can as easily prearrange our parties as we can our classes. There are nine months in the school year: and it is altogether unreasonable and immoderate to give six big parties in the short space of three weeks.
THE KANSAS Emigrant Aid Society has just transferred to the regents of the university property claims of considerable value. The conveyance stipulates that the money realized therefrom shall "be used in aiding deserving students in that institution." Coming, as this gift does, at a time when all else seems turned against the university, we are struck dumb with surprise and gratitude. The Kansas Emigrant Aid Society intends to live; but its occupation is forever gone. It has filled a great state with brains, refinement and institutions, and can now live in contemplation of its achievement. The gift, indefinite and uncertain as it is, which the Society has just voted to the university, will be, probably, the last substantial evidence of its love for the state,—of its pride and confidence in us as a generation of good old New England stock.
AGAIN LEGISLATION is a menace to our welfare; the passage of the salaries bill means the rapid decline of the university. Educators at best are a poorly paid class of professional men; and they are men, who as a rule, spend their possible surplus of income in an unselfish way, in the fulfilment of severe intellectual requirements. No corps of state employees has better right to financial accommodation than the faculty of the State University. But our Senate committee proposes a twenty per cent cut in the salaries of all our professors. Foolish economy! Blind legislation! Is Senator Jumper uninformed, or is he absolutely indifferent as to the future of this institution? Does he care to foresee the grave
consequences, or forseeing, care to avoid the inevitable results of hasty legislation in a matter of such vital importance as the regulating of salaries? He and other legislators should know that college professors of name and recognized power live in perfect independence; that Kansas University became superior through the efforts of such men, and that its present excellence is held in trust by them; that they should be treated with more deference and less mistrust; and, that threats of resignation from them are not meaningless, politic bluffs, to be considered merely resorts customary in political finesse.
FOR SOME time the Chancellor has had under advisement a matter of extraordinary character, which, although it does not immediately concern the university, may nevertheless interest our readers. There exists an institution known as the "College of Church Musicians" which advertises itself as a chartered university of the State of Kansas. Its existence, however, is merely nominal. This so-called university has had a London Agency which has been selling degrees to persons of distinction in the musical circles of England. American titles were conferred as in absentia degrees, and were especially desirable to church musicians. The whole business has been fraudulent,—simply the nefarious money making scheme of a few sharpers who took advantage of the looseness of the Kansas laws relative to the granting of educational charters. No such institution has ever been open for the reception of students in any city of the state. Holders of these bogus degrees until recently have been under the impression that the institution which sold them was the state university of Kansas. The Chancellor has had voluminous correspondence with several musical unions in England; and at last, the illegitimate traffic in diplomas has been stopped. Strenuous efforts will be made to remedy the Kansas charter laws. The excellence of our educational system is largely dependent upon legislation. The laws regulating the granting of school charters should be thoroughly specific.