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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 3, 1915)
THE miTILlOH Published every Wednesday night by Students of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas Subscription price $1.25 per year. Advertising rates on application. Member of Texas Collegiate Press Association. A. E. BURGES, '15....Editor-in-Chief J. F. HADEN Business Manager F. A. HOMANN, '15. .Associate Editor W. Li. RUTAN, ’15 .Asso. Bus. Mgr. E. McR. CLAYTOR, '15...Ex. Editor MISS LOUISE PROCTOR..So. Editor M. T. GARRETT, ’16 Agr. Editor UEL STEPHENS, T6 Eng. Editor S. P. McFADDEN, ’16...Sport. Editor G. C. MOFFET, ’16. .Y. M. C. A. Editor D. H. KIBER, ’17 ’Frisco Editor Cartoonists P. T. CROWN, ’15, J. M. BURKETT, ’16 Assistant Business Managers S. B. HAYNES, ’16, J. B. ROBERT, '16, Circulation Manager. H. A. SAWYER, ’16. Reporters J. R. BARNES, J. B. JOYCE, T. W. TEMPLE, F. W. HALSEY. All material for publiication should be signed and turned in not later than Monday night. Entered as second-class matter at College Station, Texas, February 17, 1905. IN THE SPACE OF FIVE YEARS. One issue of The Battalion for 1910- 11 contains a cartoon representing a cadet with his feet resting upon his desk dreaming of things to come. In his dream he sees a new Library Building, a Y. M. C. A. Building and an electric interurban stretching away to Bryan. The carton is labeled “The Dreams of an Optimist.” But lo! What the cartoonist then considered wild dreams are now pro saic facts. A. & M. has been remade within the last five years. Five years ago a large part of the corps was living in tents stationed along the side of the main driveway. Since then three large fireproof dormi tories and six other handsome and substantial buildings have been erect ed and the tents are now but a tradi tion. The two things for which the corps has so long hoped—an electric inter urban and a Y. M. C. A. Building— are now realities, and one can hear the honk of the car at almost any hour and see the hospitable lights of the “Y” Building from his window any night. The great problem with which campus and corps has so long werstled—lack or social life—is now solving itself. We are even beginning to acquire a few luxuries; before commencement we shall be enabled to desert the muddy road and take to concrete side walks. The faculty has been strengthened by the addition of new and capable men, the moral tone of the corps has visibly improved, the equipment of the departments has been greatly im proved, the number of courses has in creased, the entrance requirements have been raised and the hours of class work decreased, and the faculty and cadets are now working in har mony. The prospects for the next five years are even more encouraging than the accomplishments of the past five. TIMES THAT TRY MEN’S SOULS. “These are the times that try men’s souls,” wrote Thomas Payne when this nation was in the throes of the birth of freedom, and the words are particularly applicable to these times of war and rumors of war. And in these trying times the heart of the nation should go out in sym pathy to the lonely man at the White House who has a nation’s peace and prosperity resting in the palm of his hand. Since freedom was born in America and baptised in the blood of heroes, the United States has not faced a greater crisis than now confronts the nation. A hasty word from the lips of Woodrow Wilson would plunge the United States into the vortex of the hell which now curses almost all Europe. It is the task of Woodrow Wilson to safeguard the rights of American citizens and to keep the honor of “Old Glory” unsullied. At the same time be owes a duty to humanity. He must, if it be within the bounds of human possibility to do so, keep the United States from taking part in the great struggle. And on every hand he is being urged by the loud-mouthed patriots who fiercely favor war and then stay at home to protect the women and children, to guard jealousy the honor of this great nation. These critics boast of the glory of the nation’s past. They call upon the names of George Washington and Andrew Jackson They despair because the warlike Roosevelt is not President for just a little while. Such talk is not becoming to true Americans. All who love this nation and its traditions should bless the stars of destiny that Woodrow Wilson is President. And in these trying times all patriotic Americans should extend to Woodrow Wilson their best wishes for the success of his policy of strict neutrality. Not only is he entitled to the sym pathy of all Americans, whether po litical differences exist or not, but he also should be taught by the nation wide approval of his course that the citizens of this country rely fully upon his honesty, upon his patriotism, and upon his love for humanity.—Ex change. “LET TEXAS FEED ITSELF.” Active Campaign to Arouse Interest in Diversification. “Let Texas Feed Itself,” is the slogan of a movement which has strated in Dallas and Fort Worth and which is backed by the commercial interests of those two cities. This movement is not to be con fused with the former movements de signed to insist upon a reduction of the Texas cotton acreage. Rather it is a whirlwind campaign in which the bankers, merchants and land owners of Texas will be frankly told exactly the situation as it appeals to the men behind the movement and informed of the necessity for the Texas farmer raising on his farm every product possible for the support of himself and the feeding of his animals. Hav ing given heed to the first essential of supporting himself as nearly as he may, it is believed this will accom plish the desired result in making of cotton the cash money crop which will represent in a large part a sur plus, since money realized from the sale of the cotton crop will not neces sarily have to be spent for food for man and beast which is bought out side of Texas. It possibly will surprise many well informed Texans to learn that the last United States census shows that on 92,000 farms in Texas there is not a single dairy cow; 124,000 farms are without a hog; 60,000 are without a chicken; 306,000 raise no forage; 369,- 000 raise no sweet potatoes, and that 27 out of every 100 Texas farms raise neither hay nor forage. Texas buys over $300,000,000 worth of food products every year from farmers outside of Texas. Of this amount $54,000,000 goes for pork and $52,000,000 for corn, wheat, oats and hay. It is to correct this drain that ways and means are to be discussed by representative business men with the bankers, business men and land own ers of the State with a view to in ducing Texas to feed itself as nearly as it may. A party of Dallas and Fort Worth business men, representing this move ment, will arrive at College Station February 3 for a conference and dis cussion of this matter with local bankers, business men and land own ers. “SKY” BOETTCHER, THE INDOMIT ABLE. “Anybody else? Peanuts, popcorn, chewing gum and candy!” Such was the incessant cry of “Sky” Boettcher of Houston, when he appeared on the campus last fall as a cadet. “Any body hungry? Hershey’s? Yes. How many?” Wherever there was a crowd, “Sky” could be found. Always he had a ready reply for any shaft of wit, but he never forgot that his busi ness was to sell candy. At first many were inclined to look upon him as a nuisance, especially when at ball games he got between them and the players on the field, but his persistence and energy were so re markable that his critics made inquiry about him and learned that he had set in to go thru the four years of college with no money whatever and no as sets but his indomitable will to suc ceed. Their attitude then changed from that of censure to admiration. One of his cries during the football season showed this purpose of his: “Peanuts and popcorn! This is strictly an educational feature!” Boettcher is a remarkable example of how a cadet who is really in earnest about getting an education can find at this college a means of support while he gets it Surely no more un inviting prospect can be imagined than was his when he entered last fall without money, influence or dependa ble occupation, and took up the task of winning a living from money spent by the corps for luxuries in a year, when the cadets could so ill afford any luxuries. But “Sky” has done a land office business, so much so that some accuse him of now being richer than he will admit. While it is possible that he may go thru college without holding any ranks or receiving any class honors, when he comes to graduate few of his class mates will be as well equipt for life as he, or will have attained the greater honor which he will have achieved if he accomplishes the task he has be gun. 0 O 1 Stontm | -p- & •0- o Concerning Ourselves. Saturday night, February 20, the writer had the pleasure of attending a smoker given by the Press Club in honor of those men among our visi tors who are connected with college publications. This is a means taken of unloading a little pent-up emotion that would have been out of place in seeking ex pression among our visiting fellow students. Does it mean anything to you to know that the majority of these men who were called upon for a speech frankly admitted that they came here shaking in their boots, expecting us Lo act like cannibals? Does it mean anything to you to learn that the peo ple over the State who do not per sonally know us think we are a bunch of “roughnecks,” not considerate of the rights and liberty of others? That is just what is being brought home to us, and the hard part of it all is the fact that the opinion strangers have of us is not without foundation. You, possibly, have not been instru mental in bringing about this state of affairs. It may have been started years ago by someone’s thoughtless, rowdy act, and you inherit the good (?) name and the traditions. Does such an inheritance fill your heart with pride? We must face the issue squarely and do all \Ve can to create a friendly feeling toward the college where such feeling does not exist. If you are not to blame for it, certainly a large re sponsibility rests upon you to show the people by your actions and words that this place is worthy of the best manhood of Texas. We want to look back upon our Alma Mater with pride, not shame, in the years to come. Else it means nothing to us. The faculty, the costly buildings, the equipment, the grounds are all a credit and a help to us, but we have the making or the marring of our own destinies and our college. What is your sheepskin going to be worth to you? Are you willing to let a few thoughtless ones cheapen it by some act of vandalism or rowdyism? Is it not going to be worth your while to do all that lies in your power to make this college worthy of the respect and admiration of your home folks? The eyes of Texas are certainly upon us. Incidentally, these boys were unani mous in their praise of our hospi tality. We have made a good im pression. They found us to be human like themselves, and a clean lot of fellows. They seemed glad to find that they had been laboring under a wrong impression. Keep this good word going. It means onur very ex istence and will command respect and attention. A FELLOW STUDENT. LODGE AND SOCIETY EMBLEMS WEDDING FLOWERS FUNERAL DESIGNS CUT FLOWERS PLANTS Phone Direct SCOTT FLORAL CO., Navasota, Texas DR. ALGIE BENB0W DENTIST Office Over First National Bank BRYAN, TEXAS