Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-30
YOUNG ORATORS TALK.
First Annual Contest of the Foundry
Epworth League
Mr.. w. H. Kerr Wins the First HOnOrs
The Other Orators.

the first annual oratorical contest of
Foundry Epworth League took place last
night at Foundry Church. A gratifying in
terest was manifested in the event. The
audience was composed of the friends OF
the contestants, and there was vigorous
though amiable competition. Nearly every
one present was acquainted with the rules
governing the contest, and sat with pencil
and paper keeping tally. The contestants
were Miss Clara X. Bartlett, Miss Anna b.
Bush. Mr.. W. H. Kerr and Mr.. George F.
Cahill. Mr.. Kerr was declared winner, with
Mir. Cahill close second. The young ladies'
were prime favorites, and the friends of
each seemed to think that their choice
should have had a place. Representative
Johnson announced the result. The judges
were: On thought and composition-Rev.
H. r. Naylor, DID,: Rev. c. w. Baldwin,
DID,, and Rev. G. II. Corey. DID. On de-
livery-Rev. f. 5. Todd, DID,; Mr. NJ. n.
Johnson and Mr.. f. Z. Tasker.
Mr. Harry G.. Kimball played an organ
voluntary and Mr.. Sykes offered prayer.
Chairman Tyler announced that at the last
meeting of the Epworth League of the Dis
trict of Columbia there was organized the
Oratorical Association. Each Epworth
League chapter would have a contest and
the winners would be pitted against each
other finally in an inter-chapter tussle. The
Epwortn League was not purely a religious
society. 1t had it's social phase, and peliev-
sd that the spiritual upbuilding of man was
assisted by mental improvement. This was
the first affair held in the city. Other So
called oratorical contests had been contests
of defamation In this event the speakers
were the authors of what they spoke. He
then introduced Miss Clara X. Bartlett.
her subject was Savaranola.
The Speakers.
She Introduced her auditors to Florence,
not the Florence of our day, but the city
of five hundred years ago. when Lorenzo de
Medici. Lorenzo the Magnificent, held sway.
She told of the introduction to public notice
of her hero, of his trials disappointments.
victories and execution. She said that his
delivery was characterized by earnestness
rather than by eloGuence: that his personal
magnetism and the loftiness of his thoughts
caused him to live after death. The charge
that he was simply an ignorant fanatic
was refuted. She touched on the fight
against Pope Alexander and referred to the
! inSratitude of nations. He was not an
/ iconoclast, but reformer of social ills
All men who gave good thoughts to tho
world were more or less Savaranola. Mr.
Cahill gave a True solution OF modern in
dustrial problems There was strong
/ ttavoring of peSSimism in the address, with
an undertOne of religion. He said thai
every generation had It's problem to solve
]
teenth century was material development
Man had asserted his dominion over the
Z earth. He said that labor had escaped
from feudal bondage to be held in industrial
bondage. There was mighty gulf between
capital and labor. The land was full Of the
I cries of distress and the Kisses of hate
Labor did not receive just proportion OF
product. Mr.. Cahill said that anarchy
nihilism, communism and socialism prom
Used no relief Anarchy and nikilism were
destructive and not constructive; com
munism comprehended a division of prop
erty. and socialism blotted out the indi
viduality of man. None of these theorie!
allowed any place in life for the home and
I the church. A victory of either would b,
a victory of despotism. Liberty the
| cost of eternal vigilance and power the re
suit OF eternal eXertion. The solution Of
! the social problem was to be found in th'
education and industry and elevation Of tn,
people.
reviewed its history and did not think tina
the future was radiant with promise TIL,
liquor interests dictated elections. TIL,
whisky element was the leading factor il
politics. The power of the corporation ant
the syndicate was also menace to tn,
stability of our institutions. Political i'm
morality was rife. Love for money wa
the evil of the age. Luxury and wealth
had been the reason of the downfall o
other nations The idleness of mills mines
and factories was the result of fraud il
politics. The stump was utilized to catci
votes rather than to eEunciate principles.
Mr.. Kerr. the winner. spoke on MAS
terry" He told of the march of progress
| and of the mastery of mind. Mr.. Anton
kasper played a violin solo in such &C
ceptable style that he was recalled