Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1888-12-08
TEE COLLEGE BOYS.
An Excellent Contest Last Evening for
the HOnOrs ofwashinrton Irving Society.

VI REPRESENTING WaSAhhbbOA A NAA6
Society at the State contest in Nash
vile, and also at commencement,
our scribe wendell his way to the
college building last evening, and
soon was ensconsed in a far off cor
ner, ready to pass judgment on the
efforts of the young men.
After the preliminary reading of
scripture and prayer, the judges were
chosen, and G. S. Altfather, of Texas.
took the floor. He chose for his sub
ject "More Restriction of Immigra-
ton" He went over general his
tory of our country; showed the
danger of allowing the paupers, con-
tract laborers, and other people of
bad character free access to our
country, and showed the political
danger as well, and proved that as
consequence patriotism was on the
wane. He wassattentively listened
to, and loudly applauded.
He was followed by w. r. Craig,
of Mississippi. His subject was
"Life Grows Out of Death" His
speech was of character that makes
it impossible to give short sketch
of it, but was delivered in an excel
lent manner, and the language and
word painting were really fine, and
reflected great credit on the speaker.
S. j. Foster, of Alabama, spoke on
"The Evils of Universal Suffrage;
Its Remedy" He at once struck
out into the sea of argument, and
urged that only good, law-abiding
citizens, who were properly educated,
should be allowed the privilege of
suffrage.
r. II. Haden, of Louisiana, enter
tanned the audience with an grafton
on "The Age and Its Tendencies"
He though this was the practical age
of the world, and drew comparison
between the olden times and the
present. Showed how art, history,
poetry, learning and astronomy had
made more progress in the present
age than ever before. "Will we like
Athens, be destroyed when we reach
our zenith ?'' He called attention
to the abuse of society to whose
shrine all the world is bowling
deplored the sentimental sympathy
which allowed murderers to go free;
he objected to the French novel as
tending to drag our young people in
to bad habits, and called on the
young ladies, who alone had the
power to correct these evils, to at
once come forward and make stand
for better morals. His efforts were
we'll received by the audience.
II. III. Latham, of Missouri, took
the floor at once, and chose for his
subject "The Morning Cometh, and
also the Night" He dwelt on the
first morning in Eden and of the sub
sequent dark evening that followed,
and then traced the history of differ
ent nations who had started out
brightly, but had in the end fallen.
He said the morning of America was
dark, but as the age progressed it con-
tinued to grow brighter, and asked
the question, will history repeat itself
in our case, and will our nation go
down in darkness? Not if we are
true to our God, our country and our
selves.
"Anglo-Saxon Supremacy" was
the subject of G. w. Patterson, of
Louisiana. He was possessed of a
deep musical voice, used graceful
gestures, and made a good speech.
He traced the history of the Anglo
Saxon race from the time of the early
Germans, and showed that it was
bound to dominate, having conquered
nation after nation. America was
the natural field for its development,
and the proof of it was not altogether
physical, but mental. Our inven-
tions are revolutionizing the world,
and the Anglo-SaXon is the ruler in
finance. He was loudly cheered
when he spoke of Grover Cleveland as
being a splendid specimen of the
race, and finished by stating that
other nations, particularly the Japan
csc were adopting the Anglo-Saxon
language. His speech was a good
one throughout.
w. l.. Stewart, of Mississippi, fol-
lowed, taking "a Noble Failure is
an Immortal Victory" He said
that the greatest victories that the
world has ever known have been
born out of defeat. In speaking to
the older people he said, your sons
and daughters are better to-day for
the many defeats you have sustained,
and called attention to the fact