The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-20

George r Johnson. OF EESel so1ha uni
verslry. winner CO tire intsrcoileslate con
te.. b@tween tne institution he represent
ID. yashon college and the University %
wsShg-gron. Eouors were carried or On
= ws-.r rFosa rssrgfn Ralph :. Pierce, of
yeskos. coming IN second cnly rhree-twan-
rtates behind. and Thomas r. Murphiue.
OF Ire University o. Washington, third on
a percentage almost as close.
IRE Judges selected 10 award the prizes
were J. =. Ronald and Rev. W. n. 9.
Temple. OF Seattle. and Judge z. y. Park
ar. Of Tacoma. IN announcing the decis-
ion Judge Parker said that the Judges
had been Al such difficulty in arriving AZ
A conclusion a. 20 the respective merits
OF the speakers that a mathematical cal
cuIatfon hy rweujieths had been resorted
70. the winner coming out in the lead by
but three points The Judgment SIS an
nounces he declared 10 be unanimous.
The contest was certainly very close, and
many thought Pierce should have taken
first, rather than third place. The con-
sfderafion which weighed the judges in
favor OF Johnson was the high polish Of
his delivery and more perfect sequence OF
the fdess expressed. Murphine WAS unfor-
tunate enough 10 momentarily forget
portion OF his speech. and while he quick
~ recovered from his hesitation. the ef-
feet % hts address was IN a measure
the same ar Rad been delivered in the
preliminary contests.
George F. Johnson represented the Puget
Sound university IN the intercollegiate
contest last year. carrying of second prize.
He has always been noted as a good
speaker and has made special study OF
oratory. Six years ago he graduated from
a Seattle business college and was for a
short time engaged in business in this
city. He attended the Portland university
for one year and two years ago entered
the institution In which he is az present
studying.
The audience which gathered last night
was large one. made up OF colleglsns and
their friends 4 delegation, numbering
seventy-fve came over from Tacoma IN
a specially chartered steamer. They were
easily distinguished by a badge of pink
and green. Among them were: DR.. Mar
iatt, pastor OF the First VI. f. church;
Rev. A. J. Joslyn and Chancellor Thoburn.
OF the university.
The exercises Of the evening opened with
an organ voluntary by Miss Kellogg fol-
lowed by prayer from Rev. A. l. Hutchi-
son. The first 10 stand on the suffrage Of
the audience was George p. Johnson. the
chosen representative OF the Puget Sound
university His subject was Sunrise TO
Sunset" applied TO the civilization Of the
present century and It's possible future.
He spoke OF the greatness Of ancient en-
pires Egypt Carthage and Rome and
their fall and advanced the idea that this
nation has reached the zenith OF its glory
and is on the verge Of a decline. The an
cient invasion OF the Cloths was repeated
today. he said. by the invasion OF Euro
peans. He saw some hope for this coun-
try. however. in the fact that Il Is founded
on principles OF truth and right. He spoke
strongly of the dangers from political cor
mi rrfe-
capital The monetary question was not
settled by the election OF Mckinley ne
said and he thought the preparations OF
political leaders during the next four years
would result in the greatest campaign in
1900 that has ever been witnessed.
Mr.. Johnson's diction was smooth and
his bearing graceful A naturally ane
presence added much 20 the effect OF his
delivery, which Is best described as pol
ished.
Tho interval following was pleasantly
filed by the singing Of the university quar-
tette and a solo by Miss Edna Whittier.
whose sympathetic eontralto was heard
to good advantage.
The announcement % Thomas #. Muir
phine's name was greeted with the ap-
piause OF his admirers who We're natural
" numerous. the university OF Washing
ton being well represented IN the audi
ence. The Cuban Revolution" was the
aD4e Grafton NN WHICH A1F. ANrUnine won
in the preliminary contest with his fellow
students OF the university. His deep voice
gained IN comparison with that Of the
first speaker. He seemed sn rapport with
his subject and with enthusiasm lighting
his dark countenance seemed one OF that
people whose rights he was defending.
Nothing intervened between the second
and last oratious Ralph 5. Pierce. Of
Vashon. spoke on The Future OF the
Anglo-Saxon Race" He neglected 10 sa-
ffite HIS audience with the cermonious bow
which Is SO much part Of the oratoricai
contest He went into the subject at once
and the failure TO bow was forgotten His
enunclation was almost perfect. and while
ne spoke with nervous rapidity. each word
was clean cut and easily distinguished bic
in any para OF the hall He was a vigor-
Gus speaker and his gestures short and
quick. though hardly graceful, were free
from stiffness and decidedly in keeping
with the Young mans general bearing.
He took a decidedly optimistic view OF the
future % the AnglO-Saxon race. in no.
ticeab,e contrast 70 the ideas advanced by
the first speaker. lie made a very good
impression
{ q. BOYER, president % the Tntercol-
iegiate Oratorical Association. presided
over the contest. gracefully introducing
each speaker While the Judges were
reaching a decision. President Boyer called
on Chancellor Thoburn. If the Puget
Sound university ~ speak on the work
Of the Oratorical Confess Association. The
chancellor said he thought young men and
women should he taught 70 express their
thoughts not only privately. but publicly.
70 SWAY people among whom they lived
toward what is good and noble There we're
chose who coutended De said that the
press was superse8inz the orator. but Re
5tf no, thlnk 81. He fel1 that the higher
cultivation induced ~ the general dls-
@a-rtrz-fan % knowledge by means Of the
rrevs made 4 ar the more possible for one
gifted wtth forensic shii.tw n sway an
audience. There was nothing. re said. 50
f-tlzht@f with import - he future n the
country az these contests - college SUI
dents Re believed students shoul1 b en-
cou-ags9 fn the culture % that "noh3est
- AT arts" The ability - giving public ex-
r-~Ssi7r - thefr i8ess He thought the
~rrsent contest the rrost successful Of any
tr7- had We taken place
U- Hamilton. % IRE University %
Washington was NEXT enthusiastically
called f3r and INSIDE a few remarks which
ae-s -st short by the ayr sal az the Judges
J. presenting the eo,5 sns silver medals
IN enc ~ecrrssfll spec ke~S Pew " II g
Tawofa sssE he was 81 Seattle man ard
re1 tora his best fo- -h- cry fa att@rs1t-
ing - drew the rriEas thss way hat that
he heartily coururreG n the decision anat-
lv arrived a.. VITA BIS happy faculty 81
sretnr the numerous s.Ee OF thfnvs. he
sats ne ~ presented TIRE .wo medals. '-he
tl-Tetail{srs ~
AS ere audience eies or many hand
- cor Eratuiatto1 was stretched forth -
George ?. johnson.
sir Pa..enGer Train. Daily.