The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-10
Lobbying Among Students

Many people suppose that the reprehen-
sive practice called lobbying is confined
10 political wire-pullers; but that is a great
mistake. 1t is, perhaps. not an exagger-
alton to say that there is more lobbying
| going on in college and scientific circles to-
| day than in the halls of congress. When
| ever change is about to occur in hos
pital staff or in a professorship in medical
college there is often unseemly rivalry dis
| played, and The friends of the different can
| didates do not hesitate TO emulate the pro-
| fessional political lobbyist IN his deepest
and darkest tricks. Indeed, a case may De
| cited furnishing pointers for politicians
which occurred not very long ago in an
election for the position of vice-president
| "a purely honorary appointmeno of one Of
| the eldest and most conservative scientific
societies in this country. Several candid
ates were put forward, and professional
| lobbying was out-lobbyied by amateurs
But a fight of the most bitter character de-
| velcped and concentrated itself upon two
prominent representatives of opposing fac
| tons, and the other aspirants then retired
| from the field. To say that there was a
tempest in a teapot would utterly fai,
| to convey an adequate idea OF the turmoil
elimination and recHmination charges OF
| fraud and dishonesty, untruthfulness, total
! depravity, ignorance of the simplest scien-
| tific terms and other equally uncomplimen-
! tary expressions were freely INDUCED in
| 1t was even limited that one of the candid
| ates could not spell correctly-as was proved
! by the omission in his recent book of an ''P'
and ''p'' from the well known word,
''anthropomorphtama nismicaliat ton" This
was met be a counter-charge that the am
| bilious and eminent professor and phys!-
clan (the ultimately successful opponent in
| this scientific championship contesO had
| incorrectly described the familiar instru-
ment used for breaking the ossified callus
| of falsely united fracture as "dysmor-
posteopalinlater," when everybody having
any pretention to professional knowledge
knows that the instrumet is really "dys-
Observation-Disclosures Honors were there
| fore easy on this charge. and finally the
| election resolved into an old-fash,oned
| spelling bee. The words were announced
| by the president; one minute was allowed
for each word of thirty letters. and one
| second for each additional letter The fol-
| lowing are a few of the simpler words Sc
| lected:
Observation-Disclosures hyltrahydropyridi
necarboxylate, (52 letters)-l minute, % sec
| onds time.
Phisycoynoscophagrap hicalities $50 letters
Il minute
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (2s letters
| So seconds.
Dioxymethylarthrapui GA letters)-d
| seconds.
When "time" was called one of the con-
testants had tainted away and did not re-
vive within ten seconds time allowed. The
other was spelling triumphantly. He was
vociferously applauded, pronounced the
champion, and led to the vacant chair. The
friends Of the defeated candidate Zone OF
whom had rashly offered to bet his miscro-
| scope on the RESULT claimed that there was
collision between the parties, and proposed
a new test; but this was voted down.
We are glad to see that this venerable
society has survived the internecine strife
and is still interested in the affairs OF the
world. In fact, the infusion or a little
I mundane wickedness Tor worldly wisdom
has evidently galvanized this somewhat
mummfied and ossified body into new lie;
for we are pleased TO observe that 1t mas
recently sent vigorous protest TO congress
against that part Of the Dingley tarin Dill
which proposes to put prohioitory tax on
educational works while admitting free
of duty human hair uncleaned and not
combed."
The society might appropriately have suS
sested that there was a palpable, gross err
ror in the bill. The educational works
should, therefore. be at once put on the
free lise and the other item Goo unpieas-
antly suggestive even to name unnecessari-
" often) should be transferred to the pro
hibitory list" This would undoubtedly set
tie the vexed question of 'pauper immigra-
ton" without the necessity of recourse 10
any impracticable educational test.