The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-03-31
The Debate.

The debate that occurred al Water
vile Thursday evening between SkOwhe-
gan and Waterville high schools, created
much interest in the two towns among
the friends of the two schools. special
train conveyed the Skowhegan CON
tingent to the scene of forensic contest
at Waterville.
Mayor Abbott presided, stated the
question, Resolved that the true com.
mercial policy of the United States is
protection rather than free trade" and
said the decision would be decided upon
argument and delivery.
The judges were Hon, o. 6. Hall, of
Augusta; Fred Emery Bean, Esq, of
Hallowell and Forrest Goodwin, Esq, of
Skowhegan.
The speakers were: Blaine S. Viles,
L. Clyde Church and Angler l.. Good
win for Skowhegan in the affirmative,
and Ernest E. Gallert, Arthur O. Vose
and Herbert c. Libby for Waterville in
the negative.
The Kennebec Journal contains what
appears to be very fair report of the
debate from which we copy in part
what is written of Skowhegan high
school boys, viz:
Mr.. Viles was the first speaker, for
the affirmative. He opened by saying
that Showhegan, while knowing of the
powers of the aterville High ON the
foot ball gridiron, was glad to meet the
representatives of the school in forensic
agument He was equally glad to meet
his opponents in debating the great
question SO often debated in the National
Congress. The speaker took up the in
dustrial, commercial and agricultural
phases Free trade meant the i'm.
portation of cheap foreign labor of
Mexico and Japan. He touched upon
the relative effects of the p" ilson and
Mckinley bills. OF especial Importance
to Maine was that of the placing lumb Der
on the free list by the operation of the
Wilson bill, but when the Mckinley bill
became law, the depression in the lum-
Der business that had extended from the
rock bound coast of the mighty Atlantic
to the Queens don inion, melted away
under the benign influence of protective
tariff. Mr.. Viles closed in very pretty
pe1oration exemplifying the present of
the country and was given very hearty
round of applause. Mr.. Viles spoke
readily and forcefully.
Mr. Church for the affirmative took
the stand. There are two reasons why
protection is the best policy, first be-
cause it will make us an independent
country; second, because it would open
taria claaa Of cfria and
thirdly and lastly, because history has
proven it has always been the best
policy. The speaker cited the fact that
England and Germany were prepared to
provide the United States, under free
trade, with sufficient of the commodities
of life to cripple the industries of this
country producing the same. Mr.. Church
gave evidence of deep research in po-
litcal and industrial interests. The
speaker held his audience to the strictest
attention. lie had numerous statistics
at his command and he did not fail to
hurl some of them with more or less
force at the group of judges seated in
front. From his third point of view he
showed that history did prove that pro-
lection had rescued the nation from
bankruptcy through the civil war and
devastating crises.
Mr.. Goodwin, the last on the affirma-
tive said it is not good policy to exchange
certainty for an uncertainty and pro-
lection is certainty for it had been so
proven. England may have prospered
under free trade, he might admit that,
but that England owed her prosperity to
free trade alone he would deny. For
the last half century, England, the great
est and only free trade nation in the
world, had remained right where she is
today. Mr.. Goodwin is very rapid and
fluent speaker He was graceful, easy
in carriage His tones were clear, and
words rolled off the end of his tongue
with gattling gun cadence and he
brought the good humor of the audience
many times. He closed eloquently and
forcibly. Ry the time Mr.. Goodwin had
finished, the response to his brilliant
bits of logic, resembled that of a politi-
cal mass meeting and everybody regret
ted that he could not have an encore.
The judges reported through Mr..
Goodwin, who said he believed any city
or town should feel proud of such sons
as could in a forensic contest present
such clever arguments, and while the
d Idl uCNldSo 40 AhcS NphAb
only decide, in favor of one school, that
decision by no means carried with it any
dsparagement to the losers. He then
awarded the debate to the Waterville
High school.
Our young men certainly have no
cause for discourage at the result.
They acquitted themselves oreditably.
The Watervilans were at home, com.
petitive discussion is of frequent oc-
currance there and they, dwelling in its
atmosphere, naturally absorb the
spirit of the thing and acquire the knack
of impressng themselves upon the
| judges.
We would like TO see the same parties
debate another public question in
Skowhegan.