The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-14
THEORATORs OFTHEFUTURE
Ideas Of Law, Politics and Philosophy as
They Come from Under-Graduates.
An Oratorical Contest in Which DePauws
Representative Wins First Prize by
Unanimous Decision of the Judges.

an unusually large audience the speakers on
this occasion being accompanied by larger del
eRation OF college friends than usual The
DePauw boys, however. came over IN the
greatest number, and made known their pres
enee by the manner in which they received
their representative, and by great cheering
when the decision OF the judges was announced
The contest on the whole below the aver
age, there being practically no struggle for first
place, Mr.. johnson carrying the day without
any great effort, was evidenced by the
unanimity of the judges in their decision. The
judges were Secretary of State Griffin. Judge
William a Woods. Treasurer Of State Lsmcke,
Judge Claypool and r.. 0. Hawkins.
This first speaker Of the evening was Hugh T.
Miller of Butler University, whose subject was
Current Intolerance" Mr.. Miller is a young
man OF good presence and good voice, so far as
quality is concerned. His :ntonation and ca
dence. however. were rather faulty. If any
other criticism should be made it would be that
he lacked earnestness and direct address He
said that the people ought to be free from intol-
erarce at this day. and often congratulate them
selves that they are. When they compare
themselves with the past they feel that they
have made great improvement yet perfection is
still long way of. Those who discover imper-
fsctions are called pessimists, but the pessimist
tells of danger. He is a greater friend than the
optimist, who sees no evil till it involves
him in ruin. There is no doubt that intol-
erance exists yet to-day. even in America,
the country above all where 1t should not dwell
Capital and labor view each other with intolor-
ance and distrus.. The laborer cannot but be-
1ieve that the capitalist is his enemy. The en-
p.oyer shows the same lack of liberation. he
forgets that the toiler is man like himself.
He thinks nothing of his work or his suffering
m hare al Clage08 distinguish
each other by the dollars and cents they possess.
Political economists and college orators seem to
be the only trying to study the problem
Politics is also a field of intolerance. The par
tfsan Gees nothing good in his opponent. The
Republican can see no good in Cleveland and the
Democrat no sincerity in Blaine. This spirit
seems more essential to party existence than
platforms The Prohibitionist sees ia the
who does not agree with him
m ally of the saloon and insdous enemy to
his country's happiness Men must die before
they correctly estimated in politics, such is
the intolerance in that Geld. In reliaiou there
is also intolerance. No longer faggots and the
gibbet exist but there 10 still prejudice and
hatred between Sects. The Proteetants
denim President for sending compliment to
the Pope. and the Catholics jealous and
intolerant ever. Thus the people are arrayed
against each other, each believing he is right
and his brother wrong. PredJudlces are not
even arrived at by reflection, but often in
heritsd. Men differ Of course, in environments,
but they ought all to break away and seek the
truth. Many are leading the glorious work and
the future is full of hope. Reformers are NOV
ing in all departments OF thought The
who most clearly q question in all it's
aspects and then decide, is the true man, the one
IN whom the hope of moral progress lies.
The next speaker was H A. Cuppy, of Frank
jim College. his subject being tine Genesis OF
Individualism." He spoke in an easy and grace
full style, his enuncAtion being clear and his de-
livery forcible and earnest He began tracing
! tho history of the Aryan in its progress
from Asia Minor into Europe. Taking the first
Offshoot from that stock, which settled in
Hellas. he showed it's developement in civ1liza-
ton, in arts, poetry. song: and the idea
of thu beautiful which dominated every-
thing that the Greek touched or thought He
spoke of the wonderful creations of tho Grecan
genius, and the effect his country and her
that settled in Italy and founded Rome was
considered He traced the development
Of the city. of its laws and it's political
institutions, and the effect which
Roman civilization has left upon the world. He
spoke of the valor of the Roman soldiery and of
the strength of the Roman character. bat more
particularly dwelt upon the idea of the subordi-
nation of the individual tothe Estate which Rome
left 10 after times. Next he discussed the Teu-
tonic family that settled IN norshern Europe
showing how the idea Of individual liberty had
been the outgrowth of this peoples civilization,
tracing that idea through all its struggles from
its birth down to it's Towering out Ia own
country. lie then compared these three ideas.
that of the Greek the Roman, and the Anglo
Saxon, dwelling the superiority of the latter.
and showing its beneficial effects on the human
race. In this country, he said. we shall witness
the triumph of all these different ideas,a civliza-
ton meeting all the excellences of the past.
passing. therefore, anything that the world has
ever seen before
The representative from DePauw, r. T. john
son, who had the subject principles of Po-
ltical Parties" was greeted with great applause
when he advanced to speak His delivery was
very good. his voice strong and flexible. and
gestures appropriate and effective. Political
parties, he said, are necessary in democratic
Institutions; they represent principles of gov
ernmcnt The narrower the principles tie
fewer must be the adherents. In government
t6nrA ha1m lr hanra S~~aa1
senting the ideas of radcalism the other of
conservatism. All political history is but a
struggle between these forces, one representing
local self government, and the other strong
central government He then traced the conflict
between these two forces with considerable full
ness, referring TO sheir antagonism In Rome.
Ia Germany, IN Russia, IN Austria. in
France, in Ireland and especially in England.
He next referred to the United States govern
ment. and traced the same political struggle
from the adoption of the Constitution down
through the cbntest over its Interpretation, in
the disposition OF the public lands. in the bank
Inc system. in the question of ipternal improve
ments 10 all questions which involved the great
principles of strong national and local self-gov
srnment. especially that of slavery. He main
tanned that circumstances might sometimes OBJ
scure these differences, but, nevertheless. they
always exist, and ara the railyinc points in all
great crises; that this condition is not
only fact. but 1t is necessity.
rs check on the other. and the abolition of
either would mean great injury to the country.
w n0n tneSo issues are DORMANT parties arise
based on moral issues but they always fail. be-
cause their principles is not broad enough to
subvert dominant party These outside parti-
sans misconeeive the nature of government,
they are composed usually of the ideAlists and
fanatics who consider their ideas of SUI
prsme Importance. Their theories usually pre-
suppose ar ideal state of society one that does
not exist ard never will He then proceeded TO
dIse uss the prohibition question and the ad
bility Of abe of the third-party movement, in
curing what ground the third party de-
ynanded recognition Such movements had al
ways had an opposite effect from what was
contemDlated In the temperance struggles
wherever the third party had been introduced
II had put the cause IN the hands of its enc
mics He cited number OF instances TO prove
his statement The logic OF the third partyist
was next discussed. He maintained that the
causes of political differences were not tran
silent as the Prohibitionist saws but enduring,
and that q party founded on moral Issue could
not 1--we uniess this moral Issue involved one of