St. Paul daily globe., 1892-05-06
Result Of Competition Be-
tween Picked Orators
Of Ten States.
JenneSS-Millep and Dress Re-
form--The Democratic
League a Go.
Other News Of the Day Gath
cred by Vigilant Reporters
Of the Globe.

day, and in spite of the drizzling rain.
embryo statesmen and orators could be
met with on every corner. The Occa-
sion was the nineteenth annual contest
of tine Interstate Oratorical association,
which was held at the Lyceum theater
in the evening. From college stand
point the event was notable one.
Representatives from over half a hun
dred colleges and universities were
present, among them number of prom
inent professors and men of letters.
The contest began at O'Clock, but long
efOre that hour came around the
theater was crowded to the doors. The
young fellows in the audience made
things exceedingly lively before the
curtain rolled up, with their college
yellS and unique calls. All this while
the ZEN contestants were behind the
scenes rehearsing, each to himself, the
Grating that was TO be delivered. The
contestants were j. l.. PostOn, Wash
burn college. Topeka, Kan; A. w.
Bartlett, Illinois college, Jackson
vile, ILL.,; Miss E. Jean Mel
son. De Pauw university, Green
castle. Ind; G. II. Geyar, Ohio Wes-
ICY dil uillN0tSlNg. DOltANNlCS O-i VI lie
Maxwell. Hamline university. Hamline,
Mimi: l.. w. Morgan, Drake univer-
sity, DeS MONIES, To-; d. +. Natchett,
Colorado Springs, COL; c. E. Winter,
Nebraska Wesleyan university, Uni
Burc6ard, BeIoit college. BeloiT,
Wis.,; j. II. La Matte. Missouri State
University, Columbia, Mo. The judges
Oh thought and composition were, Presi-
dent j. B. Angel. University of Michi-
gan: Hon. B. K. Elliot, chief justice of
Indiana; Hon. John NJ. Thurston,
Omaha. Neb. On delivery, Hon. E. Ii.
Young, Minneapolis; eX-GOv. William
Larrabee. ClermOnt, To-; Horace Bolton
d. d.. Chicago.
An excellent orchestra furnished
music during the intermiSSionS, and The
Campus quartette rendered vocal Selec-
tionS. President b. ID. Aylesworth. OF
Drake University of Des MONIES, deliv-
cred the invocation, after which the
contest was lnaugurated.
1t was nearly midnight when the last
Grafton was delivered, yet the majority
of the audience were still in their seats.
The Judges announced but two places,
first and second, owing to the fact that
several of the judges on thought and
composition had not reported. When
it was announced that Miss E. Jean
Nelson had been accorded first place for
an Grafton of all-rOund excellence, the
audience gave vent to the most enthus-
iastic applause. G. II. Geyer was given
second place, and the remaining two
places of honor, third and fourth, will
be announced today.
j. J.. POsten was the first to face the
audience. His subject was 'After the
Shackles Have Been Removed" and it
was handled in a scholarly manner.
Mr.. PoSton demonstrated by his mode
of delivery that he has future before
him as a public speaker if he can learn
to manipulate his voice trifle easier.
His Grafton was not brilliant one, yet
it showed that he had spent consider
able time on thought and composition.
The burden of MIR. PoSton's Grafton was
that the present system of penal insti-
tutiOnS is not what it should be. 1t
neither prevents crime nor reforms, and
refOrmerS, he maintained. should pay
more attention to the removal of the
conditions which cause crime. than to-
ward the improving of the institutions.
The young orator also painted in very
pretty manner how harmonious every
thing would be if the criminal
when released from prison could
only be sent out upon the world
better equipped in mind and pock-
etbOOk than at the present time. When
the shackles are removed let the gov
ernment give the criminal competency
which will sustain him until he secures
employment or will enable him to go
away to some distant place and begin
life anew. The government should also
guarantee him employment and then let
60. oN.rln nd vrrplo
Mr.. Poston's theories were very pleas
ing to listen to, but it is doubtful if So
ciety would be the better were they put
into practice.
1.-The School and the State" was the
topic dilated upon by A. w. Bartlett.
Mir. Bartlett is a little fellow and his
voice correspondingly 50, rendering him
at little disadvantage with the more
herculean and deep-vOiced contestants.
However, the Grafton was an interest
ing one, and, though trifle amateurist.
brought out considerable applause when
completed. Mr.. Bartlett began with
the opening of the Rebellion and
the condition of the public school
at that time. He touched upon the
condition of things which brought about
| the war and what effect it had upon the
school. The educational system of the
| United State was elaborated upon at
considerable length. and how the pub
lie schools engendered patriotism. The
present freedom of the people and pros
| perity of the country was largely due to
the public school system. 1t was com
pared with the systems of other coun-
tries, and, as Mr.. Bartlett knew whereof
he spoke, the latter were, Of course, not
sin it,"
One of the best oratiOns of the even
ing was that delivered by Miss E. Jean
Nelson, a very pretty girl, whose sub
ject was industrial Freedom" Miss
Nelson's voice was sweet and clear. anG
her style of delivery good, save that she
spoke a trifle too fast. She tackled hel
subject with the fervor Of an old time
stump speaker, and certainly gave
voice TO great deal more logic than the
majority of them do. Miss Nelson also
demonstrated that in her study OH the
subject of freedom she had passed
through the realms or ordinary moderr
lore and become acquainted with the
ancient classics. Her.dlssertatl0n or
the realization of freedom and the ori
gin of the sentiment was clever one
and had it been listened to by the pesSi
mistic cranks who are continually cry
ing down the present system of govern
ment, they might have gone away feel
ing more at peace with themselves anC
the world. Miss Nelson's Grafton was {
long one, yet the audience listened t.
her with the most profound attention.
G. H. Geyer followed with an ORATOR
entitled "The Optimism of History
Mr.. Geyer was a clerical-looking young
man, with deep basso voice, who de
liyered his grafton with well-placeC
dramatic gesticulations. Altogethe
his style of delivery smacked of th,
theological student, though quite nat
ural and effective. As a piece of com
position his Grafton was good. anC
showed a great deal of research ant
the happy faculty of remember
ing aud juggling difficult historical
names. The next Grafton was on tha
interesting Shakespearean character
"Shylock," delivered by G. E. Maxwell
the Minnesota boy. While Mr.. Maxwell
makes no pretensions to being an actor
he demonstrated last night that the tai
ent is not entirely foreign to his psy
| ohOlOpinal InaEa-np He drew an ov.