Daily camera., 1898-01-15
BURSTS OF ELoQUENcE.
Downen and Turman Will Represent the
University at Denver.

| DOwnen and Turman Will Represent the
! University at Denver.
The regular annual contest of the local
oratorlcal association of the university
WAS held at the Presbyterian church last
night. The general standard of the
orations surpassed in excellence those of
preceding years, though lapses of men,
ory on the part of several of the con-
testants rather detrac1ed from the effect
of the delivery. Eight contestants par
ticipated, the first place being awarded
to John M. Downen OF Pueblo and sec.
ond place to Wilson L. Turman of Table
Rock, Nebraska. These two winning
orators will represent the university a.
Denver next month in the intercollegiate
contest. The music for the event was
furnished by the university orchestra and
mandolin club and vocal trio composed
of Misses Bell, Wells and Brownell. The
judges were chosen from the faculty and
were as follows: Thought and COM
position, DR.. Carl w. Belser, Prof. John
Gardiner, Rev. w. R. hoffman; delivery,
DR.. Chas. S. Palmer, DR.. James A. Nc
Lean, Prof. A. A. Reed.
The opening Grafton was delivered by
J. Vaughn Sickman on the Relation of
Man to Party" Mr.. Sick1nan traced the
influence of the political parties from the
time of their founding, when their prln.
cipals were those on which the govern
ment rested, down to the present time
when corruption and spoils form the aim
and end Of the organization. The re.
sponsibility for this state of affairs rested
on the citizens. he argued, and they must
remedy the evil.
The winning orati ion of the evening,
"The Growth of an Idea" was then pre-.
sented by Mr.. Downen. The constl,u
ton of the United States formed the
basis of his Grafton; the influence Of John
Marshall as justice of the supreme court |
the enlargement of his theme.
Alfred Strickland followed with "a
Moral Hero,' who was proved to be
William Lloyd Garrison. The Grafton
dealt with Garrison's influence in behalf
of the negro.
One of the most polished orations of |
the evening was that produced by Ches-
ter S. Smedley on "The Life and Char.
acter OF Wendell Phillips" He showed
that though patrician by birth, Phillips
had the courage to throw his lot with the
common people and worked out the free.
dom OF the negro.
w. L. Truman followed with the
Grafton which won second place and
which was on the subject of "Our Natur-
al Strength" Mr.. Turman pointed out
the necessity for national character and
illustrated by portrayal of the rise and
decay of the nations of history. His
remeiy lay in the schooling and training
OF the young.
A second biographical Grafton on
William Lloyd Garrison was embraced
in the subject. "The Turning of the
Tide" by Walter M. Appel. The courage
and steadfastness of purpose of the man
who so largely influenced events at the
time prior to the civil war were strongly
emphasized.
Education the Defense of Nations"
formed the theme of FIRED Cleaveland's
CT alton. He favored an International
education directed by the state, COM
mon law, and common court of arbitra-
ton.
The closing oraticn by w. o. Peterson
traced out the growth of power of capital
and the central,z alton of wealth, under
the subjec, OF Freedom and Monopoly"
His reform would be secured by the
governmental ownershlp and control of
public industries.
This concluded the program and after
the judges had given in the markings.
Chairman Bel! announced the decision
I ae ahove