The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-07

auelpnla council whose representatives
We're DR.. p. Charles Green, president
of the Coughln council; II. Augustine
O'Callahan, a prominent young attor.
ney, and Richard A. Foley, of the
Philadelphia Record and chairman of
the entertainment committee of the
famous Philadelphia entertainers, the
Pen and Pencil club. The West Side
debaters We're: Attorney Mathew +.
Cawley, John f, Durkin and Harry c.
Gallagher.
The judges We're Hon. II. NJ. I'D
wards, John II. Jordan, city editor of
the Truth and Attorney r. j. Bourkc.
There was fully a thousand people
present including Rt. Rev. Bishop
O'Hara and a number of the clergy,
and also John Boyle O'Reilly council
of the central city which attended in
a body.
James Shea, of St Brenden council,
presided, and after making an appro-
pirate address introduced the debaters
in turn.
DR.. Green, who opened for the atiir-
native argued to prove that Cuba is
ripe for the granting of belligerent
rights, showing that a Cuban govern
ment exists, that a war is unquestion-
ably in progress. that there are innu-
merabe precedents for granting bel
ligerent rights and that the United
States is the country that should make
the move. He is an easy graceful talk
er with a splendid command of langu-
age and a finished delivery.
MIR. CAwLEY's ARGUMENT.
NJ. p. Cawley, the leader on the mega
tive side of the question, spoke on the
injustice and unconstitutionality of our
recognizing Cuba as looked at from
the standpoint of International law
He delivered his arguments with ease
and force, sticking closely to his sub
ject, and marshaling his reasons from
every quarter in a manner Whlch
showed that he had fully mastered
the salient points of history as well
as OF the law of nations appertaining
to the case in point. He said in part:
I'VE cannot say to Spain how she
shall treat her rebels. If we do so, we
must justify our action by a recourse
to international law. We must not
let our sympathies run away with our
discretion, and our better judgment
When by the civil war the South re-
belled, there was no talk Of recognizing
the South We treated them as rebels
as we now want Spain to do. a coun-
nv has a right to eXterminate it's reb-
els without interference or dictation
on the part of outsiders"
Mr. Cawley at the same time that he
advanced his own opinions and ideas
with forcible effect. quoted literally
from writer's on international law, from
American history and from the speech
nf
statesmen.
WHAT MR.. O'CALLAHAN SAID.
Mr.. O'Callahan, the second afirma-
tive, called attention to the fact that
France and Spain recognized the Unit
ed States in 1776, when scarcely a
semblance of government existed here.
France, England and Spain recognized
the Confederate state of America two
months after Sumter was fired upon.
There was no cry then of a violation of
the rights of nations. In 4o42 Monroe
recognized the South American repub-
lies, against the protests of the allied
foreign powers and at a time when the
republics had no established govern
! ment. Mr. O'Callahan was warmly ap-
plauded for his telling points and ora
| torical ability.
Mr.. Durkin contended that the in
formation on which the affirmative
base their arguments was derived for
the most part from misleading state
ments issued by the Cuban junta to
prejudice the minds of the American
people in favor of the insurgents: that
| press reports as to the condition of
| affairs in Cuba We're contradictory,
1;,,l ii
| contingent of the island are rebellious;
! that the political parties composing a
| vast majority of the taxpayers decry
| the efforts of the insurgents; that Co
| mez was a reckless and selfish adven-
turer; that 10000 native Cubans have
voluntarily enrolled themselves on the
side of Spain; that unlike the Ameri-
can colonists at the outbreak of the
revolutionary war, Cubans cannot COM
| plain of taxation without representa-
| tion, as sXty-four representatives from
| the island are in the Spanish Cortes and
| that they actually hold the balance of
| power between the parties in that par
| lament; that the condition of affairs
| in Cuba is not such as to excite or
| justify the sympathy of commseration
| of the people of the United States, and
| that the cause does not demand the
| sacrifice of the lives of our people. Mr..
Durkin's earnestness and graceful ges-
| lures distinguished him from the rest
| of the speakers. He had a proper con-
! ception of the purpose of a debate and
| followed closely in practice the ideas
| he had formed.
MIR. FOLEY COMTLIMENTED.
Mr.. Foley, the last G<bater for the
| affirmative, spoke eXtemporaneOusly
| from notes taken during the progress