Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-06-03

uc DdIOeI Sounty T1lgn OchOOl was
held at the opera house in this city on
Tuesday night Of last week. Notwith-
standing the threatening condition of the
weather, the house was well filled and
the exercises thoroughly enjoyed.
The opera house was pleasingly dec
GRATED in the class colors, green and white,
the stage being nicely arched with Bitter
Sweet foliage and an abundance Of flow
ers providing most happy effect and
seeming themselves to speak good cheer.
Suspended above the stage was the motto
IN the cl ass colors-"A Case Still Unde-
cided."
Only four Of the graduates were rep
resented on the program, the class hav-
ing decided to give over a liberal part Of
the evening to musical numbers.
The exercises opened with music by
Walstads Orchestra. Elder Lee II.
Baruum Of the Christian church offered
the Invocation very impressively and feel
ingIy, and following another number by
the Orchestra, Miss Hazel Tucker spoke
on Railroads in the Political and Social
Life Of our Country"
Miss fuckers subject was a live one
and dealt with question that is now oc-
cupying the earnest consideration of the
nations deepest thinkers. She preIuded
her deductions by word picture Of the
railroad mileage in America compared
with that Of other nations, recounted the
difficulties under which railroad building
IN the United States was FIRST inausurated,
told OF the governments liberaIity in pro-
noting the enterprise through land grants
and other cooperative Legislation. Trac-
ing the progress Of the work from its In
1piency to the present t-..e Tx speaLer
showed how that arrogance and greed
On the part Of railroad companies gradu-
ally became manifest and depIoring the
lnconTovertible fact that today there ex-
lists between great corporations and high
public officials penlous and delicate re-
lahons that call for patriotic action on the
part Of all the people. The people are
becoming better informed, daily, she as
serted, and closed with the prediction
that this great problem will soon be soIv-
ed on the broad plane of equity and JUS
tice without injury to a single line Of rail-
road so indispensable in the nations
commerce.
The Male Ouartette consisting Of
Messrs. Wright Terry. Harry Terry, Percy
Knight and Frank Knight then favored
the audience with medley, Under the
Stars and Stripes" which was very heart
iy applauded.
Mr.. Uel Major delivered an oradon
on "Spoils," or To the Victor Belongs
the Spoils." He traced the spois sys-
tenn from ancient history down to the
present time, proving conclusively that the
influences have always proved banefuI.
COnceding that it has always dominated
mankind. it has nevertheless been de-
strucive Of the better instincts in man.
Whether In war. politics or what not, the
eager graspins after spoils has developed
the selfish tendency in man rather than
to develop his finer nature. Coming down
to the time Of Andrew Jackson, he told
Of the new impetus given to the doctrine;
how that some 500 subordinate national
officers were removed and new and un-
4ned men installed by single stroke Of
the presidential pen and the practice has
obtained with its consequent evil ef-
&ecas to this day, not even excepting the
courts. and no avenue Of governmental
,pcsiion escaping the dreaded ak upon a
change Of the political fortune wheel.
But recently a new era gives promise Of
better things when the spoils system will
be supplanted by the merit system. AL
ready it has been tried through civil ser
vice and IS proving so beneficial that it
will be a question Of a very short time un-
I'll merit will be the controlling factor in
governmental affairs. Mr.. Major had his
subject well In hand and proved every
assertion by history and current events.
Following this ora6on double quar-
stette. composed Of Messrs. Rackley,
HambEn, Wilson, Stevens and Kidd,
.Mesdames Shaw, Gnfin, Skinner and
Forsyth, and Miss Grace Williams, sang
-'ITl Trovatore" which was an especially
-Arone number.
Miss DoCa Ham then made the fare
wei address to the Juniors. Her theme
was out Of the ordinary and elected a
contnued round Of laughter and good
cheer. Having themselves passed the
Rubicoa and conquered, the seniors were
now blazing the way for the sophomores
I'D heshmen. Miss Dora was quite free