The University daily. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 18??-????, 1888-06-13

The Columbians win the Defamation
and Debate,
And the Parthenons the Essay and
Grafton.
Messrs. Roemer, Corbly, McGrath and
Stoetzer Crowned with Honors.
y No feature of commencement is 30
popular as the contest between the
literary societies. People poured into
the Athens all day yesterday, and
by evening it had assumed a deeied-
" metropolitan aspect. The streets
were filled with people, carriages
whirling hither and thither, and by
half past seven o'clock it seemed
that everybody-both town people
and visitors we're vending their way
towards the University. >@- ~ /.
I By s o'clock the large Commence
ment Hall was filed entirely filled.
At just 90 minutes after. 8Ao'clock
the strains Of Mestrezatt's orches-
ira burst forth, and the procession
marched up the aisle-the ushers,
President Turner and the eight CON
testants-and took seats upon the
rostrum. b.. H. .. - \
But still the people continued to
pour in-hundreds of them, and the
ushers stored them away somewhere,
until the great hall was packed with
humanity as closely as sardines in
box. But it was cool and pleasant
evening, and good 11atured crowd;
so they continued to make room for
more, and didn' It mind the squeezing.
The music of. the orchestra was
one of the features of the evening
worthy of remark. They played
several selections while the hall was
filling up, and delighted the audi
ence. II
l. At precisely halt-past eight o clock
the music ceased and President Tur-
ner announced the inter society con
test Of the twenty first annual Com
mencement as follows: r /
DEFAMATION. .............. J. L. RoEMRR.
nrcr , 81 on the Irish Government
DEcLAn aMi1:on on the Pension BiII M e'Fe'
Tie Incubus on Our Body P Peiisis s'psH
ASSA 'The Right to Differ T. J. co''hS
GRAFTON Thoughts on America RI: + McGFArH'
"The Bright Side of the. Nation" N
DEBATE- 7. affirm affirm H; G. SToETzEE
,eze TS II National sSooa
tablish and operate General Postal-Telegraph
| System. -, -
T. .>+.. Defamation. r'
: r. MIR. GREGG +
was greeted with round of applause
aod acclaimed in an excellent manner
the speech Of Hon. VIM. L. Wilson
delivered two years ago in Congress
on the pension bill. He had full,
pleasant voice, pleased the audience,
and took his seat amid a round of
applause, IS. s
.s MIR. RoEMER IT,
was received in an equally enthusi-
astic manner and delivered his selec-
ton with much excellence. He had,
perhaps, some advantage of his com
/ petitor in figure and action; but, on
the other hand, Mr.. Gregg's voice
was more pleasant and natural. Il
/ ;: Essay.
MIR. SNYDER H.
sustained his reputation as one of
the very ablest essayists Of whom
the University ever boosted. He
made fine appearance, and his read
ing was especially good. The sub
stance of his essay was as follows.
| The trend Of things has always
been upward. In the struggle for civil
liberty history has shown that "Revo-
buttons never go backwards" Great
is our present political development,
| which Aembodies the truth contained
in past, Neyanescent, systems of gov
Eernmenta tI 81
We have inherited valuable gen
civilizations, important among which
is the Fright Of the Majority"
which gives voice to the popular will.
The majority decided Alright when
uninterrupted. The minority can be
made the majority by unfair means.
This defeats the popular will, and
corrupts public morals. Any agency
causing. such results is an Incubus.
Such is the saloon, an active, aggres-
siYe, political factor. It's influence
lis corrupting. It destroys patriot
ism, self-respect, personality, con
science, incentives to nobler action.
When these are gone the men are
unfit for citizenship. A million such
men cast ballots as the saloon di-
reefs. Thus it has the balance OF
/ power. It is bold announcing its
own candidates and supporting them
as one man. It boasts that it's ad-
vocates are ID influential positions
in the administration of government.
IT glories il the ever increasing bril-
liancy Of its successes. II grasps