St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-08
.FREE DISCUSSION CLuRs.

4 euGIilHl lIlCSC COl5C rum iopOi VI COuT
/ Sunier.
"FREE DISCUSSION CLURS."
| The decades preceding the war were
| periods. as compared with those since,
] of great mental activity and energy
| among the plain people of the Northern
| states. One common and prevalent
form IN which this energy showed itself
was In the debating societies partici-
| pated in by old and young during the
winter months. They sprung into be-
| ing as spontaneously as the snowflakes
| formed. Not only were the country
| villages and towns thus active, but the
| remoter school districts had their even
| ing debates, sometimes merging into
| joint debates, which drew in the bright
! minds from the surrounding country to
some central school house.
There was in those days such raneor
of sentiment growing out of the ques-
tons involved in the party contests
that these debates were kept off public
questions of politics; and as religious
topics were escliewed by common con-
sent. the range of subjects was narrow
aud the topics trite; but if they did not
provoke much thought they involved
much reading; and. most of all. they
habituated young men to talking on
their legs. Many man who has
achieved reputation as ready speaker
can run his facility back to its source ia
some society where he game. conf
dence in himself and mastered the
sense of timidity which ties the unac-
cuStomed tongue when an audience is
to be addressed.
Why since the war there has been a
subsistence of this form of expression of
mental energy, whether it is result of
the war or whether it is because news
papers are far more plentiful now than
then, and give, with their narration of
events and editorial discussion of pub
lie matters, what the debating societies
in part supplied. might be study worth
pursuing; but we pass it to note the
former conditions for the purpose of
suggesting, to the young men especially
who are readers of the GLOBE, the de-
STABILITY of reyiying the winter debat-
ing schools which their fathers at
tended, and get from them wider ben
eft than their fathers got.
The topics should take wider range
than formerly. There is no good rea-
son why they should not embrace all
public questions affecting the state, the
nation OF the locality; there are excel
lent reasons why all these questions
should be studied and debated, and the
chief one is that they are questions I'm
which every citizen is concerned, and
which he should study with view to
the proper discharge of his duties: on
which the young men who will soon be
the responsible citizenry, should in
formthemselyes, that they may perform
we'll the duties coming to them. If the
rule be adopted and regarded that all
personalities and abuse of men or par
ties shall be absolutely suppressed,
there can be no dangers in the di SOUS
sion of the policies of any party.
Efforts have been made in this direc-
ton by the introduction of the study of
civics into the schools, but this deals
mostly with the framework of govern
ment, and does not reach down to the
fonndationai question of what govern
ments are, what they are formed for
and what are their limitations of action.
We regard these questions as of the ut
most Importance. The young man who
goes into his full citizenship with no
clear conception of the nature and func-
tions Of his government is ship float
ing withoulcompass OF rudder, the play
thing of the winds and currents of.eu-
vironment or impulse or passion. On
the other hand, the young man who
comes to his duties with clear concept
of the state, why it exists, what it Is and
what it is for. will have with him always
standard by which he can measure
exactly the policies of parties or meas
ures of legislation, and decide correctly
mis- course.
We suggest to our young readers, as
we'll as the older ones. that they organize
in each school district in the state what
may we'll be called "free discussion
club" whOSe purpose shall be to procure
information relevant to the questions
and for the discussion of any and all
matters affecting the nation. the state
or the neighborhood in public way.
The organization can be effected by the
adoption of a constitution decl airing the
objects and providing the necessary
officers. If the proceedings are guided
by CushIng's or some other manual of
parliamentary practice, there will not
only be orderliness of method, but there
will be the great resultant of famil-
iarity with parliamentary law, which
every citizen OF republic should have.
Bylaws to regulate meetings and other
matters of detail can be easily fra med.
The GLOBE will be glad to aid this
movement in any way it can. Its col
umns will be open to give or receive in
formation, answering pertinent ques-
tons and advising where information
may be procured The Minnesota Dem
ocratic association will gladly fur
niSh its reading matter to those who
wish it, on application to its secretary:
and we doubt not the organizations of
other parties will be glad to do the
same Ii the discussions are thrown
open to all, and all political. social and
economic questions are freely discussed
and studied. not only will the benefit to
all participating be great, but the state
and society will get the reflex good of
the endeavor.
THE PENSION LIARS