The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-15
A JOINT DEBATE,
The Irving Orators Win Another
Victory.
Runaway Hors. Dashss Into window,
North End Notes.

with friends OF the irving Literary CLUB
10 hear the second debate between the
representatives OF the club and represep-
tatives of the Y. NC. A. of River Point.
This was the second debate between the
two clubs snd the speakers kept the audi
epce interested and while IT would have
been easy to have selected q ques. ion
that argument could nave been more
fairly divided upon still the debaters
well used the possible points on each
side.
The question debated was "Rtsolved
that the civil service law should be- ex-
tended to all departments OF the public
service"
The disputanis for the Irvings who sus-
tsined the affirmative side of the quss-
tion ,e Q James j. McGovern and ex-Al-
dermsn John j. GIlmsrtin. The negative
disputants who argued for the Y. NJ. Z.
Qainn. Ihe judges were Professor Sears
If Brown University, r. West Esq, and
James +. Wa d.
Mr.. Mcu0sern opsned the debate and
sid that bis side proposed to show that
Notwithstanding any defects the other
si1e might show In the civil service law
II was one Of the most equitable ever
placed on an American statute book. He
asked the judges 10 remem or that all laws
were naturally in some WAS imperfect
and then traced the bei eits he teIieved
the law had accomplished. An ong them
be emu mersted the better class of en-
Jloy6s obtained since the law went into
force In the posto flee, srmy and navy and
q portion OF the internal revenue depart
meuts and compared the advantages OBJ
tsined with what he termeu the ruling
of the departments by politicians ana
ward bosses. After showing that tbs re-
movals in the Classified service were
only TWO Tercsnt during the past four
years while they were fifty per cent. in
the unclassitied departments, he argued
that the government reports showed great
efficiency and economy IN the former de-
partmsnts ana srgued that what WAS
Rood fer the under employees was good for
the heads of dera'tme3t,.
Dr. Shea was the hrtt .spesker for the
negative and he made carefully prepared
srgument, in which he attacked the civil
service law, maiDtsining that 1t was
against the spirit of the constitution Of
the United States, even IL the court had
held 1t to be Within the letter. He
cl imed that the law was q had one and
opposed the statements that IL was in the
interest Of economy or gooc government,
.laiming that the advancement ana better
service In the department during recent
years was due 10 the great Integrity, de-
votion to duty and business like met hods
OF thoSe at the head OF the departments.
Contin ued, office holdinR ne held made an
sristocrscy that was inimicsl to a free
government. The only tests he believed
should be fidelity cspscity and fidelity.
Tben he dealt steliously with the errors In
tie law.
MI.Gilmsriin was the third speaker and
he made an earnest and atle argument in
favor OF the law. He claimed the law wac
really return to tie old printirlss OF
Washington and jefferson, snd argued
that 1t threw open the government service
to all who had tie necessary capacity
o. ability. The spe,ker paid a high
trituie to he late Thomas Allen Jenckes,
the tIiginat the des in this country,
>Bd SAL that the ouigfovth OF the spoils
iystem Tweedisn and Tammanyism.
Al msint lining that the extension should
be marfp to other departments be quoted
pointedly The advar tages thus far derive 4
md tho eDiandid ra.uIt. ~ tho a,n,to,
otut OF trained men In the English
government service.
MIR. Quinn WAS the second speaker in be-
half II the negative. lie made vigorous
III cs on the idea Of civil s rvice. claim
ing that confidence IN subordinstes W as
al important thing for an sdministra-
ton. AS TO the claims that better men
wsr1 obtained by the merit or exsmins-
tion system he boldly challenged such
statements, claiming tbat In .one paris of
t c'untTy yourg men had not the ad-
vantage OF night schotl or any way to
on,oin the technic a knowledge on a few
su cts needed TO 4 ass an examination
ana yet some OF ths best men in the
country were brought up In such COM
munities. He next attscved many of the
'lleged benefits of the law aud closed with
sr eloquent peroration.
Mr. McGovern closed the debate In a
bril 1t and happy manner and IN wed q
remsrkabls alertness in ans wering the
main points Of bis opponents.
TGe judRes after being out q half hour
or so decided that the affirmative had
won the decision being announced by
MIR Vest. The Irvings won the former
deb'te With the same society.
Daring the a, ening the following In
iere'ting musical and literary progrH m
given: iiaDo solo. John Filzostrick /;
sorrano solo. Miss Kate Powers; violin
sclos, hichsrd Crane; risuo duet. Miss
Annis Mulholl.nd aud Miss Clara Mul.
holland; reading, James Tunsire; reci-
tdive solo, Leo MulhoIlsnd; Miss Annie
Mulhollsnd wss the sccompanist.
SALOON WINDOW DAMAGED.