The morning times., 1896-06-07
now FOR 1 GREATER NAVY
Members of the Law School De-
batting Society Argue for 1t.
AND THE JUDGES so DECIDE
Annual Debating Contest Took Place
Last Night and the Speakers Wore
Heartily AppIaudedb by Al Large Audi
-nce-Two Best Debaters To Receive
Prizesat Commencement Exercises.

That the United States Navy should be
largely increased in the near future there
is no doubt, for il was SO decided by the
Judges at Tie annual prZe debate Of tne
Columbian Law School Debating Society
argued for and against the question.
The announcement that the debate would
be held brought out a large audience com.
posed principally OF ludies, and SO inter
eSting We're the speeches OF the young men
that only a few left the hall before the
decision of the judges had been given
1t was Il representative gathering, too, foI
there were besides q number of Washing
tons elite, members Of the House and Sen
ate aud of several of the departments.
The hall was comfortably filled. Presi-
dent LabanSparks presided and madea a brief
speech, introducing the six speakers oi
the evening who had been selected as the
best dcbaters i'll the six previous contests
which were held during the school term.
This was the system of choosing the speakers
for the final debate For the affirmative
Messrs Marvin NJ Mclean of Texas, William
L. Fort OF Gcorgial and j. l.. Thomas. Jr..
OF Missouri, were chosen. For the negative
there were MeSSrs. Harvey Is. Gram of Ohio,
W. H. Coleman of Pennsylvania, aid
Benjamin Martin, jr., of South Carolina.
The judges were President b. l.. Whitman,
ScmatoT-elect II. ID. Money and Judge W. a
Maury.
APPLAUSE FOR THE SPEAKERS.
The speakers were heartily applauded as
they rose TO speak and when they had fin
iShcd McSsrs Mclean and Thomas Were
recipients of bouquets of flowers.
At the beginning of the debate the first
speaker ha To contend with the caterwaul
of dozen felines which had apparently
metin the alieyway Y back Of the university by
appointment. and began an argument on
some topic OF considerably more Importance
than the question of increasing the Navy
in the near future. 4 dded TO this were
sounds like unto the splash of several
pals of water the dropping of,a pi; . n,
several Chnnkc of coal. ami final scat
When the audience finally composed itself
Mr.. Mclean proceeded with his excellent
argument, favoriug the Navy'S increase.
He said America did not desire to main
tain the greatest Navy in the world, nor TO
be regarded as a defenceless nation, but
that happy medium was most desired
and surely needed He said there would be
~ danger from a land invasion, for the
standing army was able to cope with any
thing that dared to attact us. He pointed
out the relative merits of the other navieS
Of the world, and said A merica stood sixth.
of Americans wherever Americans progress
has planted itself
Mr.. Harvey B. Gram was the first speaker
for the negative. In referringtot the strength
Of the English navy he said that country
whose ambition is to continually secure
more territory must, of necessity, maintain
a large navy. America has no ambition in
that line: she does not desire TO add to
her territorial possessions, and did not
s.,la, had
There was nothing in our foreign relations
tn warrant great Navy, and, as matter
of fact, we have larger Navy now than
other nations, populations being consider
ed. He referred to the matter IF arbitration.
and said that International disputes would
be settled hereafter by this course.
MIR. FORD'S ARGUMENT.
Mr. William f. Ford's argument was on
the matter OF protection 10 commerce. He
was the second speaker FOR the affirma-
tive. and claimed that in behalf Of the
people and the commerce Of the country,
now unprotected. an increase in the naval
force was imperative.
Mr. W. II Coleman. the second speaker
for the negative, made a most Cnnscrva-
tive argument against an increase Of
the United States Navy To increase
the Navy. he said, would be to depa TT
from the policy which The American govern
ment has maintained for years. 1t would
mean at least il would be looked upon
by other nations of the earth as an ag-
gresSiVe movement. Other countries have
need Of great navies for their relations
with other European countries are such
that il is advisa he to have and to maintain
a great armed force for sea warfare. To
increase the American Navy would be
a violation of all traditions of the past.
Mr. Thomas said an increase in the
Navy was desired TO protect our foreign
commercialintcrestS, three-f"urths Of which
were now unprotected Along our sea
coast was property valued at ten billions
of dollars, which could be destroyed by
a foreign power. Where peace n eI1 pros
perity reigns, he said. the navy was to
large degree responsible for it
FIRST AND SECOND PRIZES.
Mr.. Benjamin Martin. jr., the last speaker
for the negative, said that an increase to
the United States Navy was absolutely I'M
necessary for the reason that the other
countries of the world knew our power and
respected us. In speaking of EDgland's
naval force he said the British possessions
We're SO extensive, including, as it does,
islands ranging in size from truck farm
TO a continent, that Il large navy was
needed to protect their interests. Eng
land dcpendslargely the United States,
even for the wives OF their lords.
The judges, after u brief consideration
OF the case, decided in favor of the af-
firmativc and also upOn the relative merits
of the best and second best speakers.
The latter, however, were not announced
but will be named next Tuesday evening
at the commencement exercises. The two
gentlemen so named are to receive prizes
in accordance with the excellence of their
work.
CLASS DAY EXERCISES