The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-12-19
.HARVARD'S THIRD VICTORY
IN 4 BATTLE OF BRAINS SEE DE-
 FEATS PRINCETON.

| DeDate on Resolve That, Assuming the
 Adoption of Adequate Constitutional
 Amendments, the United States Should
 net Government.
 Princeton, N. J., Dec. 1s.-For the third time in the history of intercol-' legiate debating Princeton was de- feated here tonight by Harvard. The debate was listened to by about 1,500 people, who showed great interest in the discussion of the question:
 Resolved, That, assuming the adop- ton of adequate constitutional amend ments, the United States should insti- ute a system of responsible cabinet government"
 The judges of the debate were Hon. Joseph R. Hawley, United States sen- ator from Connecticut; Provost c. c. Harrison of the University of Penn- sylvania, and Dr. Hamilton w. Marble, editor of the Outlook.
 Princeton had the affirmative side to support, giving the negative to Har- ward. The first speeches were of twelve minutes length each, and those in rebuttal of five minutes each.
 Shortly after 8 o'clock the debaters came on the platform, while the stu dents gave three cheers, first for Har- ward and then for Princeton. Presi- dent Patton then introduced T. AIcott Williams of Philadelphia as the pre- siding officer of the evening. The first l speaker on the affirmative was H. H. Yocum of Princeton, who showed that in the present system of government there is a lack both of responsibility and of efficient leadership in legislation and that these are due to a confusing system of committees in both houses.
 $. R. Wrightington of Harvard then opened the case for the negative by stating that the adoption of the system would tend toward undermining the check which the president, the senate and the supreme court has on hasty or untfmely legislation of the lower house, and, that furthermore it would tend to destroy the principle of feder- ation between the states and so lessen individual right by making a stronger central power.
 R. F. Sterling was the next speaker for Princeton. He based his argument
 mainly on the advantages to be gained by a cooperation between the executive and legislative functions of the govern-
 ment.
 M F. o. White of Harvard, who follow ,J ed, maintained that a cabinet govern
 ment would mean strong leadership, which would act as a spur at critical moments, but, used continually, would drive the people to despair.
 R. M. McElroy, in closing for Princes ton said: We propose a government which provides for placing resposibili- ty when occasion demands. The great
 crisis which we have passed showed
 the weakness of the present system to
 deal with grave questions. With the cabinet system we will have unity of
 purpose and of action. It will give more efficient men in the cabinet and
 will force the president to appoint men , who stand upon the floor of the legisla- ture and lead the majority Further more, this will open g. career to men , who have hitherto not been attracted by
 politics. Everyone knows that there is a great body of statesmen in this coun-
 try Under this system only such men
 can gain cabinet positions as have
 proved their merit"
 Charles Grilk replied to the above as
 follows:
 Under the present system we have
 the power to prevent bad legislation,
 while the proposed change would only fix the responsibility when bad legisla-
 tion had passed As to the question as :, to making statesmen, would only ask
 my opponent to look at Canada, where
 the cabinet consists mainly of vote catchers. England, owing to her posi- ton among her powerful neighbors, has , been compelled to adopt a form of gov- , ernment whose characteristic is rapidity of motion, but the United States differ | ently situated, needs no such cabinet. After the second speeches of Messrs. l Yocum and Sterling for the affirmative , and of Messrs. White and Wrighting- . ton for the negative, MT. McElroy ad- | vanced the following argument in sum- l ming up the affirmative position. He
 said:
 "The trouble without committees is <, the great power they have in propos- ing legislation which is almost sure to ) be adopted. The negative here advanc- ed four lines of argument which we < claim we have answered and we have . the conditions necessary for a success ] cabinet government in the two strong
 parties striving for power" MT. Grilk closed for the negative by :, first proving that the cabinet govern ment would not give 8 more efficient {; system of legislation. He called atten- s tion to the fact that France and Chill g were the only republics which had tried . the system, and they had failed in it. : Wherever introduced" he said. "the Q system has tended to center authority - in the lower house, and why should we e not fear that business will be endan- 1. gered, and that anarchy may gain a : foothold, when the check of the upper S house and of the president is once re- - moved"
 n After the exercises were over a ban d quet was given both teams at the Inn,
 over which Colonel J. J. McCook oi
 New York presided as toastmaster.
 Under a Financial Cloud.
 Boston, Dec. 1S.-Frank c. Miles, the = treasurer of the Boston Safe Deposit