The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1891-05-05
A LIVELY DEBATE.
TRINITY LITERARY SOCIETIES
SAY GOVERNMENTS SHOULD
NOT OWN RAILROADS.


NOT OWN RAILROADS.
The COlum bians Declared The y Should
and the Hrsperians Won by Vote
OF IO5 to 47--Athietic Games and Il
Great Occ aston.
Especial Cor. to State Chronicle.
TRINITY COLLEGE, April 25. The 3rd
annual debate between the Colombian
and Hesperian Literary Societies was
held at Trinity College yesterday evening
in the college chapel. The ex srcses began
at 6:25 p. M with song by the Trinity
College Glee Club-Haii Festal Day.
''Mr. D. r Davis of Beaufort, n @ las
President OF the Hesperian Society pre-
sided over the exercises. Numa 4 Reid,
of Reidsville, N. G secretary of the Col
umblan Society, was the secretary of the
occasion.
The programme was as follows:
Columbian Oration-"Hero W Worship,'
r. l. Durham, of Greensboro N. @.
Hesperian Grafton Ruins, j. r. Nc
Crary, of Lexington, N. G.
Joint Debate-Qlery, ''Resolyed that
the United States Government should
own and control the telegraph lines aud
railways within its borders" Affirma-
tive, Frank Armfieid and W 1 Crawford,
negative @. f Turner and L. Massey
The Columbians had the affirmative
and the Hesperians had the negative.
Mr.. Armield's opening speech was
clear, strong and we'll arranged. He
charged the railroads with violating
charters and watering stock, and said
they were q corruptlng power. Some
thing must be done. Railroad Commis
sion was not q success, but government
al control is a success. He gave the
comparison between the German and
Austrian systems and the American sys
tenn. Former is cheaper because the
government controls it. Governmerta'
control is cheaper, because it prevents
parallel lines and litigation.
Mr.. Turner said that railroads some
times become an evil, but governmental
control was not the remedy. Afirma-
tive argument followed up would make
the government owner of every interest
which could be made q monopoly, until
Uncle Sam would be feeding all his nu-
| merous nephevss and neices with a
spoon. 1t would create too many new
offices wouli make six times as many
as we now have Congress would nee
essarily appropriate money &c build rail
roads One section would not want to
build railroads for another. South
would not be developed. Sectional hatred
| would be re awakened.
Mr.. Crawford said that commissions
are not success. They are or will be-
come bribed by the railroad kings, and
! the people will furnish The money to pay
the bribe. The English system of con
troll without ownership will not work in
America In few words, the present
| idea is to serve the capitalists at the ex
| pense of the people; the affirmative idea
| is to serve the people with special privi
leges to none. One of the strongest
| points of the evening Mr.. Crawford now
brought il by declaring that the fac
that there were so large a number O
employees to be appointed would forct
the government to more generally adop
civil service reform, and thus giving {
death blow to the spoils system.
As for the telegraph, America ano
CHINA are the only nations who do no
own their telegraph lines.
Mr.. Massey said that the evils ar
due 10 the abuse of the present system
opposed to the centralizng effect Of tn
affirmative's idea. A difficulty lay ba
fore us as to the way of getting tn
railroads. The government canno
force the sale of private prop
erty. The railroads would cost fv
and half billions. It would ruin tn
National credit to borrow much.
would cost more to run railroads if tn
government owned them for there woul'
be more extravagance. COmpetitiO
gives the public better service. Ital
had a committee to investigate the sub
jsct for three years. It reported tha
governmental control is not advisable
Freight rates are higher in German
when the government control than i
} America Mr.. Massey then closed b
, stating that the remedy would be regr
!, lation; that the present system of cou
; missions is comparatively new but is bt
ing made more effective all the time, an
} that it will eventually satisfy the d.
mands of the occasions.
E,ch of the debates had q reply an
each ma q spirited attack on his oppt
nent's arguments. Mr.. Cranford's repl
was especially strong.
The audience was requested to decid
: this question on thd merits OF the di
, cussion The vote stood: Affirmati1
A.; negative los, thus giving it to tt
l Hesperians.
The orations were good. Mr.. Du
t hams was strong, clear, logical, and,
= times, pathetic. Mr.. McCrary's vi
graceful, eloquent and very we'll d
livered.
9 The music of the Glee Club was cor
mended by all who heard it, especial
the quartette, last night, by Messr
> Harper, Jones, J. w. Durham and Le
;: and the vocal colo, Loves Old Swe
u Songs" by Mr. W. Jones.
We feel that We should make speci
mention of the graceful and elega
manner in which Mr.. D. Il. Davis pr
sided over the exercises.
s Many visiting young ladies fro
3 Greensboro, Salem, Winston, Fayet.
= Vile, High Point, Lexington, Albema1
and Thomasville m ade the evening We
pleasant to the students.
u On account of the rain the athle'
!, games we're postponed till Saturday afte
noon.
DANIELS
II Why is Bradycrotine a successa E
Il ic 0,,lv hpo1oaho ond