Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-02-27

about as unconcerned as if he had killed a
man in Texas.
Nor many Eastern people, unless they
are acquainted with the forests of the Mis-
sissippi Valley, and more especially those
found on the higher Allegheny Mountains,
know what really large hickory tree is.
The shellbark of Southern Indiana are
ometimes a $50 feet tall, with trunks four
five feet in diameter, and bare of limbs
seventy or eighty feet, and even larger
trees can be found in the still almost I'M
touched forests of Eastern Tennessee and
Western North Carolina. But those large
trees are doomed, and before many years
have passed every hickory tree of sufficient
size and proper quality will have been sac
rifced to supply the ever-increasing de-
mand for the wood
1T counts for very little that Russia has
abolished serfdom when the awful atrocl-
ties Of Siberia are still permitted. The
latest account of the Sihida horror, with
It's consequences, fills every human breast
with fiery Indignation. One almost doubts
If this can be the nineteenth century of
the Christian era when such things are
possible in a land protesting Christianity.
There ought to go up from every civilized
land on the face of the globe common
protest against such outrages upon humani-
ty. Great and powerful as Russia IS, her
ruler would not dare ignore such protest.
If he should, he would invite the inaug-
uration of new crusade which would
arouse Christendom as thoroughly as
Peter the Hermit did and far more etfec-
lively.
IT seems very likely now that the bank
robbery conspirators In New York, who
ever they are, will be allowed to escape
through the gracious leniency unusually ac-
corded to wel-dressed offenders. Leland,
the president of the sixth national bank,
is allowed to shut his eyes, ask no ques-
tions and receive bank stock for which he
was given S650,000 for only 100000
and the checks amounting to 1882, 600
which were substituted for the stolen bonds
of the bank These checks are mainly
worthless, and $250,000 of them made
against the Lenox Hill and Equitable
banks will not be enforced according
to the agreement of those engaged in lift
ING the wreck Leland makes good the
loss to the Sixth national, but he thus gets
his stock for about $3.50, 900 less than was
given him. If neither he nor the Lenox
Hill and Equitable banks lose the amount
covered by the checks who does? Who
was GLAD enough to surrender the Sixth
national stock for worthless checks? Lee
land does not know, for he shut his eyes
when he received back the stock, his law
yers arranging the terms with the thieves
This is all queer performance, and the
policy of the prosecution seems to be to
ask as few questions as possible lest some
body's feelings are hurt.
JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL, in an inform
al talk delivered before the members OF
the Harvard Art Club, was once asked by
an inquiring student what was the mission
of great university. Without a mo-
ment's hesitation the veteran diplomat and
scholar replied, ITO teach nothing that is
useful. :" A short time since Mrs. LELAND
Stanford. the wife of the great California
millionaire, and the practical organizer Of
the Western University founded to the
memory of his dead son and supported by
hi magnificent bounty, was asked the
same question. Her answer was as fol
lows: 4 think it absolutely cruel, said
Mrs Stanford, Ito give a young man OF
woman who must depend upon their own
exertions for livelihood, a classical edu'
cation, pure and simple. There is scarcely
week that Mr.. Stanford is not asked tc
give employment to graduates of Yale and
Harvard. He has six of them as car C on
ductors on the Market Street Line now.
Here are two widely different estimates Of
the mission of a great university. The
one takes the practical side of life, the
other the imaginative. Which is the
right one? Mr.. Lowell's ideal gradu-
ATE Is man WuOSe NOIlu IL III uAAlIoclA
learned In the philosophy of life and caring
little for its reverses. The Greek philoso
piers axiom that no evil can befal
good man will follow him even on the
back platform on one of Mr.. Stanford
horse cars, and if he is real and worthy
member of his college he will rise from
his mental position as surely as does the
tnorrow's sun. On the other hand, lei
misfortune come to the college graduate
as evolved by the Stanford idea. Suppose
sudden closing of great manufacturing
institution, depression in the various
branches of trade or any of the many re-
verses which may at any time come to {
business man. His occupation is gone
his means of livelihood ended, and in his
distress he cannot call to his aid any Of
the mental resources which in his educa
cation have been entirely undeveloped. He
must wait until his own separate trade d
profession is in need of him, and perhaps
starve in the interim. A purely practica
American university at present is about a
much use as a new edition of Poo
Richards Almanic." We have ha(
enough of the prose of life in the making
of this country; another time has conn