The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-05-09
LEAzAR soclETYs DEBATE.
Young Orators Contest at the A. and M.
CoIlege--The Parade and Sham
Battle.

y
their annual debate last night in the
chapel Of thea. and NJ. College. There
were many prominent citizens and
a beYy of beautiful young girls who
furnished an inspiration to the embryo
orators. The hall had been tastefully
decorated by the young women of West
End, and gave the chapel a look of the
season of commandments.
The young men debated question
that is agitating the public mind, the
query being. "ResolYed, That the
States should adopt the Norwegian
system OF controlling the liquor
traffic and 1t was decided by the
learned judges, who were Justice Fur
ches, DIR. Geo. T.. Kirby and Commits
sioner of Agriculture Patterson, in the
affirmative. AS these debates settle
things, we may as well begin to get
ready for the Dispensaries.
The debaters for the affirmative were
Mr.. w. J. McLendon. of Arson, and
Mr. VIM. A. Graham Clarke, of Raleigh.
Mr. McLendon spoke of the growth of
the temperance sentiment, but declar-
ed it could not check the evils of the
liquor. traffic, the increase in consump-
ton in America in the last two years
being seventy million dollars In
practical reform it is sometimes best
to make haste slowly. The Norwegian
system has been in successful opera
ton, and is based ON three fundamen-
tai principles: /. Local control, leaving
every community to home rule; 2.
Every man who sells liquor gets a
fixed salary, and his promotion is de-
pendent upon small sales, and there is
no temptation to increase sales in or
der to make money; 3. The limit of
profits to the shareholders in the COR
porations is 6 per cent-all over that
sum going for charitable institutions
or public improvements, The govern
ment does not control, as III South
Carolina, corporations controlling in
the different towns. The consumption
of whiskey has decreased, and from
being the largest consumers. Norway
and Sweden have become ninth or
tenth on the list. He thought local
option the remedy, and the Norwegian
system q step toward local option.
Mr.. w. A. G. Clark said that as far
back as $500 years ago efforts had to
be made to check the drink habit. and
the Emperor of China executed all
men found drunk. The liquor power
controls politics High license, low
license. local option, and prohibition
have all failed A Fabian policy must
be employed The aim of the NorWe-
gfan system is TO combat drunkenness
and control the traffic without profit.
Russia has adopted the system, and
something similar has worked we'll ia
India and Switzerland In Norway
every community is left to take care
Of itself, and no money is permitted
to be made out Of other peoples vices.
When the system was started In
Sweden, it was the first country
in the consumption Of strong drink
Now it is the ninth.
The negative was debated by Messrs. 4
n. Il. Gibbon, of Mecklenburg, and ".
h. Ramsenr, Of Henderson county. Mr..
Gibbon opened by denying the claims
made for the Norwegian system, and
said the monopoly in South Carolina
had increased drunkenness in Column
bia. More than $4,000 were spent in
that city alone for strong drink in two
months. TT also provoked blood-shed
and violence. The State should not be
o party to making drunkards. If
wrong for an individual. it Ii wrong
for the State, IF the State can mono
polize the sale Of liquor, why not take
other businesses and become d great
trader? Prohibition is the only rem
cdy. You cannot control the evil bv 81
system that destroys public con-
science. You must wipe it out. Mr..
VI B. Ramseur followed on the same
side. The Norwegian system interferes
with the habits of q free people; es-
fablishes a system Of espionage;
breeds corruption and false swearing:
Is the father Of bribery, of officers who
wink at illicit distilling; il against
the fundamental idea of Democracy
in that IL puts the government into
trade and makes it d monopoly; creates
horde OF new offfce-holders; puts the
liquor traffic IN politics more than
ever; and gives responsibility to the
trade. Spain supports its society for
the prevention Of cruelty to animals
by a tax on bHlEfghts. and we think
it absurd. Tt Is no more so than for
the State to go into the liquor busi-
ness. The State has no moral right to
do If. Local option is the only rene
dy. II gives liberty Of action to
free people.
Before the debate, there were two de-
carnations, "Eulogy on Henry Grady"
1.-THE Unknown Speaker" by d. O.
Uzzle, of Wilson Mills, and two ORR
ginal essays, Living Abreast Of Your
Age" by G. T.. Clark, of MeckIenburg,
and s'PIea for Forest Presentation"
by II. b. Owen, Of Davidson. All did
credit 10 themselves and the Society.
1t took the judges a long time to
decide who was entitled to the medals,
s,e 4xaaas No 14s4I 4x.
proved the shining hour to talk to the
young ladies who made the Chapel a
scene of loneliness. 1t was suggested |
that the court, being composed of two
Democrats and one Republican, had |
hung and Judge Furches was prepar-
ing a dissenting opinion. After a.
while, they returned and Justice Fur |
ches made the announcement that the |
medals had been awarded as follows: |
Declaimer's medal, ID. O. Uzzle.
II