New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-28
CONTEST OF BRAINS.
,v,vEp INTEREST IN INTERcoLLEGi-
ATE DEBATING.

-,o~s OF YALE AND HAltN AM
,.,sss Mass. March Eff the reproach
Gam" .us,lv against American colleges that
ever .re,y material and physical interests OF
'ne .,,. were exalted by undergraduate puohc
s'n 10 the exclusion Of the Intellectual II Is
op",O ,.ng invalidated. The most conspicuous
rsf which this fact appears at the present
FORM 18th AS an influence in undergraduate life
une N, NANTES. atoms that engage the atten-
anD The outside world. is the remarkable rise
uon .,.rrst in public debate. The intercollegiate
Z" ATS IN this branch of intellectual athletics
" taken an absorbing hold OF the college
pa -s and have gained an attention outside Of
,,a, is in some measure comparable TO that
r..r 70 the more spectacular contests or the
,rdiron and diamond
rh. meeting between Harvard and Yale last
,.-.sev al Cambridge was a momentous event IN
49, undergraduate calendar. 1t was looked FOR
80 n with eager expectation; the competition
az Mace among the representatives or ooth
colleges was keen; the moral support given 10
.hs team by both colleges was as generously sc-
corded as II is TO the upholders OF the college
n-esiige in athletics: success brings college
bonors and popularity 10 the members on the
fortunate team. defeat is keenly felt az a loss OF
standing by the college whose representatives
were unsuccessful
II is not necessary to seek far for the causes
Of this interest In debate 1t is not new thing
IN the colleges. II existed in the earlier days;
n was only swept aside by the new Ideals OF
athletics that have gained ground In the last
,usntv-hve or thirty years. and that closed up
or diverted 10 other uses the halls OF many
college society that perpetuates in its name
,hs forensic purposes TO which IL was once de-
voted But public speaking. especially OF a
controversial sort is peculiar inheritance or
,bs Anro-Saxon race 1t has langushed In
,,s academic manifestation only because OF the
Overwhelming vitality Of the new interest IN
athletics There Is no reaction against the
reasonable and fitting practice Of athletics but
debate is coming into its own again. To the In
herited tendencies and traditions and the recos-
milton OF its val',e and necessity In any career
that brings men beforc the public may be joined
in an explanation OF its revival. the discovery
that az exciting form OF intercollegiate contest
could be carried through its exercise. 1t need
no, be denied that the latter consideration may
have had in It's immediate and plausible appeal
10 the undergraduate imagination quite as much
10 Go with the present deep-seated interest In de-
batting as anything else. OLD foes. Ike Harvard
and Yale welcome any fresh channel through
which their ancient rivalries can find generous
and bich-spirited outlet. And the cynically mind
Cd NAV have an opportunity Of remarking that
Harvard has resorted TO this form Of intellectual
contest in the hope Of winning victories that have
come 10 her with increasing raritJ in the purely
physical departing ITS OF endeavor. II So Har-
ward must renew IL. jtef .nce OF her laurels with
redoubled vigOr Last Fridays defeat was tho
second she has receiv. in succession from Yale.
The contest was an interesting one. and thor
oughly typical OF all II represented or tnterool-
iegiate rivalry. Sanders Theatre - not an an
cient audience-roonl, but for thu majority or Nv
ing Harvard men il Is freigIted with memories
Of dignihed import ana Of a certain academic
solenlnity to whts1 i'll appearance offers no
violation but ratar a considerable enhance
mant II was flied last Friday TO the utmost
limit Of It's accommodation with undergradu-
ates faculty. townspec2'e and a large delegation
from Yale whose students find the irtercollegi-
ate debate increasingly an occasion for giving
support by their presence TO those who are
charged 10 represent the honor OF their uni
versity. The Governor Of the State presided
with an elegance OF manner which probably rev
Of his fellows in statecratt could nave equa4ieu.
AS Judges there O1fcia ting q judge OF the
United States Circuit COur, professor from
the Massa chusetts Institute OF Technology
and another from COluHl bia University ON
The middle of the pie torn, sat the three repre-
sentatives Of each college. There was an impair
tia distribution Of extremely Cordlal applause
for each Of the SIX as he roGe TO speak Ihat
there was close attention paid 10 the lines or
argument followed was attested by the hearty
manifestations OF approval that were made al
the presentation OF certain particularly telling
points. After the decision had been announced
there rhy thrnic swing OF cheers
from he Harvard men present who decorousiy
compiimented their victorious opponents as me-
hay become accustomed to compliment them
on many fields in other kinds OF contests, ana
there was the quicker ringing or the AaIe cry
and q The Aristophanic chorus warmed and
yfr.rol bv 1ubilation. II was a self-rest trained,
!nd81r Iteration OF victory. but the note OF
enthusiasm was unmistakaDle
The subject Of the debate was not the happlesI
ina could have been chosen The question az
70 Whether the United States should adopt
Definitely the single gold standard, and should
decline 10 enter a bimetallic league. even II
Crea, Britain France and Germany should be
willing 10 enter such a league. IS lmportan;
enough but in its essence at least, II mas nad
4 certain prominence in the puDnc eye OF rare.
and q remarkably full and free discussion. IF
not removed from the category Of living issues IL
has received treatment Of such nature tnal an
exhausted country has perfOrce agreed 70 let
1, lapse into a state Of comparative desuetude
for the present, and 10 think, for a while at
least Of other things. But the SIX champions
went al il without dismay or apparent reco!Iec-
tons OF long. hard summer Ihey had no
lack of material al their command. They pre-
sented Il clearly forcby shrewdly. for mo
most part and with discretion. AS Judse Al
6rich remarked in announcing the decision, the
debate was able end ingenious on both sides
whereat the audience was moved 10 smlle' put
Il a fair characterization
What perhaps struck the observer most torci-
by in the speaking was the absence OF the
purely oratorical quality. 1t was throughout an
attempt 10 persuade by the presentation OF Iacts'
not bv anv snDeal 10 the emotions in which re-
spec- # ma Ne thought TO have differed from
many deverances in the great DEBATE lhat
closed last November. There was not eve a"
ments that belong 10 literary quality Inc pur-
pose Of the occasion. the whole situation, Tor
babe such an attempt The demands OF
huual eNectusllv nut q bar 70 anything thar
Should withdraw the attention from me haiu
fac;s Of the case Whether or not TINS sxCIu-
non may not imply a loss IN the power Vi -,
tuasion which roist he the chief end Of forensic
Speaking. II Is al any rate one OF the en-, :,