The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-02-21
AXE FOREST COLLEGE.
lsEtternry Societies Are Valuable
Bctors I'm Oratoricnl Development.

$sEoit the Editor of The Virginlnn:
sssss All friends of Wake Forest College are
S. proud of Its literary societies. The val
Isl ue of these societies In developing the
q. oratorical talent Of their members can
ss5 not be overestimated. They have TWO
y meetings weekly. on Friday night Tor
81 debate, and on Saturday morning LOT
~ determinations, and for the transaction
i of general BUSINESS. During the pres
Az ent session their mem bership mas Deen
& so large that they have been DIVIDED
H -one-half of the members meeting on
L Friday night, and the other hair on sat
~ urday night The great event OF the
* present month has been the SlNty-hTst
anniversary of the societies, which &C.
CURED on the 18th instant. The attend
/. ance was exceptionally large, nearly eH-
cry section of the State being represen-
ted. AT $50 y. M, under the inspiring
strains of the Durham Band. an cnthusi-
astic audience filled Wingate Memorial
4 Hall to hear the annual debate. The
Il house was called to order by the prcsi-
e dent, Mr.. S. Dowell. of Durham, n. C.,
who welcomed the audience In few fit-
3 ting words and had the secretary. Mr..
! H. H. McLendon, of WaGesbOro, y. c.,
X read the subject for discussion, RE
solved, That the government should
4 own and control our railway and tele-
graph systems"
The first speaker on the affirmative
was Mr.. w. G. Briggs, of Raleigh, n. c.
. He claimed that railways were public
highways, and that to surrender their
control to private parties was inimical
to the spirit of a republic; that discrimi-
nations between localities built up great
cities to the ruin of small towns and
1 villages; that monopolies were establish
ed and fostered and that dangerous poll
4 teal influences were cNcrted by railroad
corporations. The telegraph should be
rNv,tr ,1t l,,rt
1t was essentially part of the postal
system. This speech wasiwell delivered
and well received. He WAS followed for
the negative by MIR. C. n. Bray, of
Camden county, N. C. He argued that
the present railroad system has been
powerful factor in our national pro-
gress and to change would be danger
Gus: that public ownership would be un-
Z, constitutional; that the postal system
I was a financial failure: that the tele-
( graph charges in Europe under govern
mental control are much higher than
. here; that the government could get
control only by purchase or confsca ton
4 The one would bankrupt the nadion
while the other would be robbery. This
d speech too, was well-received
KS The second speaker for the affirmative
was Mr.. A. b. Canady. of Granville
8 county. He showed that railroads are
often stocked and bonded for twice their
g value; that trusts and combines owe
Il their wealth and influence to railroad
s manipulations; that strikes would not
IL occur under public ownership; that in
3. countries where the roads are opera / ed
by the government, travelling Is much
cheaper and safer; that the roads would
n pay for themselves In thirteen years
" under governmental control The gov
~ eminent should control the telegraph
system because 1t could do 1t cheaper.
sssEs The last speaker on the negative was
III MT. X. N. Simms. of Raleigh N c., who
argued that the ownership OF railway
sSg ana telegraph was not III the sphere of
sR governmental duty; that competition
81 necessary to mans best interest would
VI be Stopped by public control: that I'm
other countries government ownership
v was failure; that there was no analogy
between the postal and railway and tel
cgraph systems; and that the doctrines
Underlying Inc change pNposed were
Fundamentally opposed to our form ot
government The gentlemen was liber.
Z ally applauded
ihen followed witty rejoinder Of ter
s minutes from each speaker, and Tho
audience decided by rising vote thai
4 the affirmative had produced the strong
4 er argument.
& At night the audience reassembled II
4 hear the erations.
The Euzelian orator was Mr.. Josepl
& Howell. of Caldwell county, N. c., ant
ms theme, "Christian and Pa triotic Citi
q Zenship. This he treated in a ma sterl,
g manner, showing the glorious destin,
z OIL our nation, based as it is on The
patriotic sentiment of a free and yir.
tuous people. His reference to the hero.
: Ism OF the men and women who founded
ana defended our institutions was es-
s peclally happy. He discussed ut some
iensth the origin and character of gov
eminent, showing that the Christian
conception was the only valuable and
/ permanent one. His tribute to the la
mented Grady was beautiful. He closed
Win severe arrangement of the sa
\ ioon. and predicted the time when II
would be banished from our land bv the
Shrlstiah citizens. Mr.. Howell is n
I t Ilheetui speaker. His grafton was
tiSDf ugniy prepared, and delivered
ine fhiiomathesian orator was Mr.. A
{. Ire. Gree' or Henderson, N c., and his
eupJect, Specialism." He traced in q
very pleasing manner the develonna a q
vi the specialist. showing that he 10
& nor peculiar TO any age or cline
ciahsm existed in the past but law dnr
n lr1 an. uehlnd the cloud of ignoran
81 it d.is age demands the specialist in every
5t; u,tpar1inent OF human activity. esneciai,
8l$ -. we need men of special trainins
~ s sc.l ehaowments to make our In u's
- = He speaker closed with a hsa,,t,r,,i
showing the difference bets,nan
lhe true and false specialist Th,n
#fSsy ssIitlemans effort was very fino a19
was worthy of marked praise in via,, uia .
81 me me iact that he had only eight a..
" Ut preparation, having been elected T.,
3sf pASce oI another who was I'll 80
ID