sidered. Essays must not exceed 2,500 words; they must be typewritten, on one side of the paper only. The author's name must not be signed to his essayonly his nom de plume, which latter, with his full name and address, must accompany the essay in a separate sealed envelope. No limitation is set upon the method of plan that may be advocated; it may be along the line of protection or free trade. The contests will close November 15, and the prizes will be awarded about December 15, 1906.

The Merchant Marine League of the United States has for its president Harvey D. Goulder, a leading member of the bar of this country, and president of the National Rivers and Harbors Congress. Its treasurer, Colonel J. J. Sullivan, is president of the Central National Bank and also president of the Superior Savings & Trust Company of Cleveland. For the last two years he was president of the National Board of Trade. The secretary of the League is Mr. John A. Penton, one of the leading publishers of Cleveland. The League was formed by men having no direct or personal interest in our deep sea shipping, but who are imbued with a patriotic desire to aid in placing American ships once more upon the seas; and the offer of these prizes is made for the purpose of arousing widespread public interest in the condition and needs of our foreign-going merchant marine, and to bring out the best thought by which to accomplish our maritime rehabilitation, The Merchant Marine League was organized in November, 1904, in Cleveland, O., and is a wholly national, non-political, non-partisan organization.

WOMAN'S INTERCOLLEGIATE ASSOCIATION

FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT.

The Woman's College of Baltimore is to be the seat of the coming conference of the Woman's Intercollegiate Association for Student Government. During the last decade the growing tendency toward student government in schools, and especially colleges, has been a strong and prominent feature. Originating in Am

herst College, the idea of student government spread rapidly in the men's colleges, but in women's colleges it was not tried until some years later, when Wellesley introduced the system of government as an experiment.

The plan was more or less successful and was adopted by a number of the women's colleges, until there are now 12 which stand as distinctly representative of student government. These are Welles ley, Brown, Smith, Vassar, Wells, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Barnard, Cornell, Wilson, Simons and the Woman's College of Baltimore.

However, the individual organizations have felt the need of a common mode of government, a constitution which will regulate the system and place it on a firm basis, and a means of consulting and advising between colleges. For this purpose the Woman's Intercollegiate Association for Student Government was started at Wellesley College in 1904. This was the first convention of such a character-the second was held at Bryn Mawr College in 1905 and the third convention is to be held at the Woman's College November 16 to 19. Each college is represented by two delegates. They will gather on the 16th, being received and entertained by the students in the hall, the hall girls giving up the use of their rooms to their guests. The business at hand will be the forming of a permanent association between the colleges and the adoption of the constitution, which has been in the charge of the intercollegiate committee appointed last year.

"PROFESSOR."

It is a truism to reflect that in a democracy two processes keep going on at the same time-leveling up and leveling down. The melancholy protest of our English cousins, however, reminds us that their much-honored title "professor" has in America been processed in one direction and been leveled down.

No law in the domain of liberty and equality compels a man to be labeled professor. But vanity, that gay vice, is insidious even in republican souls. To the

reverent Englishman his professor is a personage of simple yet awful mien-to be respected and obeyed. In Scotland the same, in Germany more so.

And in America? The word first knew its traditional value. Only the mighty pugilists of England, descendants of Tom Figg, inherited from their pink and white pupils the title that was hallowed at Brasenose and Balliol.

Yet a hint from the pugnacious was enough for fraternal America. All who rose to eminence as teachers who wished to be respected and obeyedadopted the venerable title. The balloonist raised it aloft. The juggler flourished it. The acrobat handled it. The phrenologist fondled it. The dancing master dandled it. It was their symbol of majesty and might—a writ on fame, a plea for honor and authority.

On such practitioners as barbers and chiropodists, specialists who treat "humped or dish nose" and other unpleasing features, the word is unwillingly and unromantically bestowed. But it is all the penalty of democracy-and the pride.

MEMORIAL TO CARL SCHURZ.

A "Carl Schurz Memorial Professorship" is to be established at the University of Wisconsin as a result of the movement started in Milwaukee by a number of prominent German-Americans. The plan is to raise an endowment of $50,000, the income from which will be used for the establishment of an annual course of lectures at the university, to be given by prominent professors of German universities.

This memorial professorship, to be held by German university men, will be the first of the kind in any American state school. It is hoped that the new chair will lead to the exchange of professors between the University of Wisconsin and German universities.

The proposed endowment will make it possible for the students to enjoy each vear the advantages of lectures and instruction by the prominent German specialists in history, literature, science, and all other important fields of knowledge.

These lectures, many of which will be in German, will be of interest not only to students but to all German-Americans of the state.

This form of memorial is generally considered the most appropriate to the memory of Carl Schurz, and it is also fitting that the professorship should be established at the University of Wisconsin, as he was identified with the institution in its early history as a member of the board of regents. In recognition of his work as a great German-American statesman and scholar the state university conferred upon him in 1905 the honorary degree of doctor of laws. His last appearance in Wisconsin was at the commencement exercises of that year, when he delivered the principal address, one of his most memorable addresses.

Formal organization to carry the project into effect will be begun with the appointment of a large executive committee with branches in the most important cities of the state. cities of the state. This committee will take charge of raising the fund of $50,ooo among the friends and admirers of the great German-American statesman and scholar. It is expected that alumni and friends of the university will contribute toward the memorial. The plan is reported to have the hearty approval of President Charles R. Van Hise and the university professors.

A PROBLEM OF CO-EDUCATION.

The University of Paris is confronted by a problem that is bothering every large college that admits women students. It is the largest university in the world, having 15,000 students, but of recent years the proportion of women has increased until it is now two-thirds of the whole and the men are staying away.

The same situation is observable in this country, in the large co-educational colleges, where a generation ago the number of girls was possibly a tenth of the entire student body they now outnumber the boys. That this is objectionable a large percentage of the graduates, at least those of the male persuasion, agree.

The tendency, as a whole, is rather to make the girls masculine than the boys "lady-like." The general atmosphere of student life to a girl just freed from the watchful and protecting care of the home is not apt to foster innocence and naivete, but rather cynicism and skepticism.

In the classroom the mixing of the sexes is even more objectionable, hampering a wholly desirable and in some instances an almost indispensable freedom of expression and discussion. It means an expurgating of texts, a cutting of courses and a social toning of what should be entirely an intellectual and student research relationship.

What the ultimate result will be is mere surmise, but at present there is a growing inclination observable among parents to send their children to schools where the sexes are not co-educated.

TRAINING FOR BUSINESS.

For the last two or three years the department of economics at Harvard has been at work with a view to gradually raising to a position of more importance that part of the economic instruction designed to prepare for a business career. This tendency is in line with recent developments in college economic teaching generally, especially with the work of Pennsylvania in establishing the Wharton School of Commerce and Finance, and of New York University in the School of Commerce, Accounts and Finance. It is not expected that any separate school will be established at Harvard, but the department has aimed to strengthen the practical as distinguished from theoretical instruction, this work being especially noticeable in the extension of the course in the principles of accounting and the beginning of a new course in railroad practice. A further step in the same general direction has just been taken, in the publication of a separate pamphlet, apart from the general announcement of the department of history and political science, on "Courses Leading to a Business Career." "A broad general education," students are told, "gives the best preparation for

a business career; but within the wide range of elective studies an appropriate selection must be made. More specialized training for a business career, as for any other career, should come in the latter part of the student's college course. So far as there is expectation of engaging in a particular branch of industry, there may be choice of those parts of natural science that bear on the industry in view; as, for example, of the advanced courses in physics, chemistry, geology, mineralogy or economic botany. As a rule, however, it is not training for a special industry that is desired by the student, but a general training for business. For this, the most important single subject is economics."

The general list of courses suggested includes Economics 1, the elementary course; and courses in public finance; advanced study of economic principles; economics of transportation; European industry and commerce in the Nineteenth century; economic and financial history of the United States; money and currency legislation; banking and foreign exchange; problems of labor; economics of corporations; modern economic history of Europe; commercial crises and cycles of trade; and economics of agriculture.

A course in the principles of accounting is designated primary for students who expect to enter a business career, and who wish to understand the processes by which the earnings and values of industrial properties are computed. It is not intended primarily to afford practice in bookkeeping, although this forms a part of the course, but to give students a grasp of principles which may enable them to comprehend the significance of accounts. This line of instruction includes analysis of receipts, disbursements, assets and liabilities, in various kinds of industry, and a consideration of cost of manufacture, cost of service, depreciation and appreciation of stock and equipment, interest, sinking funds, terminable values, etc. Publisned accounts of corporations are studie 1 and an opportunity is given for practic in interpretation.

An interesting new course is that to be

given in the second half-year by Dr. Stuart Daggett, or "Railroad Practice." The course is designed to supplement and continue the general course in the economics of transportation, and in preparation for it the instructor, Dr. Daggett, has spent some time in the offices of railroad corporations studying their methods of management at first hand. The principal railroad systems will be described, with an account of the organization of railroad service, development of permanent way, equipment methods of administration, origin and growth of classifications, freight and passenger traffic associations, railway clearinghouse, and similar matters.

There are also courses in insurance considered as a business, given by Professor Wambaugh, and in the principles of law governing industrial relations, by Assistant Professor Bruce Wyman.

REOPENING THE RUSSIAN UNIVERSITIES.

Two years ago the students of the leading universities in Russia "struck" against autocracy on the ground that it was utterly incompatible with education, science or any intellectual activity in Russia. Last year the faculties of certain universities indorsed this remarkable strike and joined it. What with these forms of "passive resistance" to the government and the closing of schools by official decree on account of student demonstrations and open fraternization with revolutionary proletariat organizations, the higher education has been completely paralyzed.

Much has happened in the past two years. The government has granted certain reforms to the universities and freed them in a measure from bureaucratic control. The faculties and students, on the other hand, have realized that the cause of progress is not benefited by the suspension of the higher education, and that the autocracy has other and more powerful enemies to contend with than passive resisters of the student class. Accordingly, for some time there has been a quiet agitation in favor of a reopening of the universities and higher technical and professional schools. The advanced papers have mildly advised the

students to resume work, assuring them that the revolution is now perfectly able to take care of itself, as it has affected all sorts and conditions of men and assumed a character which renders passive resistance ineffective.

Moreover, it is pointed out, the press is much less restricted, a douma has been created and "legal" constitutional agitation is tolerated-after a fashion. The students have done enough, and they can now take up their books again and turn their attention to nonpolitical subjects.

It is announced that the students of St. Petersburg University have voted to resume work; but their resolution is so phrased that the government may withdraw its permission. The resolution speaks of "mobilizing the youth of the land" and converting passive into active. warfare. This is not what the government is after, and it has reason for thinking that the youth of the land has been sufficiently "mobile" anyway. If the universities reopen this fall, it will be for "neutral" study, and not as temples of political liberty or centers of revolutionary agitation.

Premier Stolypin favors "free teaching," provided the universities mind their "proper business."

It is probably difficult for most Americans to understand the apparently reckless enthusiasm of the Russian student as a class in the extreme declaration for freedom of speech and press and for the true democracy. For explanation, it must be understood that conditions in Europe, under other monarchies as well as under the autocracy of Russia, are almost the antithesis of conditions in America. It is within the last generation. that Italy has become free and united, and that France transformed the monarchy won by the coup d'etat of Napoleon III. into one of the most admirable. republics of the world. Forty years ago were as repressive as Russia in the matter of freedom of speech and the press.

From these partially obsolete conditions sprang Socialism, the very extreme of the principle of democracy. It had its inception not with the proletariat, but among the students of economics.

Its

most eloquent advocates were professors in the colleges. William Liebknecht, who, for a quarter of a century, until his death a few years ago, was the leader of the German Socialists in the Reichstag, was bred for a chair in the University of Berlin. In France the Socialist leaders were almost all men of the highest intellectual type. In England William MorIn England William Morris, poet and artist, and millionaire manufacturer as well, and such others as Sir Edward Burne-Jones, the pre-Raphaelite painter, were the chief inspiration of a movement which came to pervade all the great universities of the kingdom. Socialist organizations were formed within the colleges, and the "professorial school" almost came to be a distinct element apart from the general movement into which Morris plunged, and which included all classes of the proletariat.

To an extent this theorizing was the oxygen of the college atmosphere. It swept over Russia and produced a host of poets and novelists, the prophets of the new regime. It penetrated even to democratic America, and Professor Ely was but one of many who preached at least a far broader democracy, if not the extreme doctrine of Socialism, based upon the French motto "Chacun pour tout, tout pour chacun," or each one for all, and all for each one, and demanding that all the means of production, communication and distribution shall be the property of all the people, and not the monopoly of a few and the sport of combined capital.

This explains the economic religion of the Russian student and of the Russian

educated class generally, with the exception of that element which makes more profit from autocracy than it possibly could from democracy. But in Russia the sentiment is heated to a white heat by the rebellion of intellect against the absolute domination of physical force employed to support class privilege. The Russian student has witnessed the overthrow of represssion in the neighboring country of Germany, and a mighty growth of the democratic spirit, and an almost similar growth in Austria-Hungary. The events of years in Russia have forced to the surface the fact that the advanced thought has permeated all classes. The potency of human sentiment has driven autocracy into a cul de sac. Royalty and bureaucracy have their backs to the wall and are making a last stand to save what they can from the wreck. In these conditions the Russian mouth is opened as it never was before, and students meet in the rooms of their universities and in the presence of spies and the police cry out for the destruction of the dynasty.

It is impossible not to assume that this spirit has permeated the circles of the military and the police as well as among the various classes in civic life. It cannot be doubted by any studious observer that the full scope of the Russian sentiment for democracy is not yet fully estimated and crystallized, and that if the crown would save a semblance of its glitter it must concede, and concede, and concede again. The divinity that doth hedge about a king is being shifted

anew.