The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-03-26


 partisanship has been general no mat ter how other conditions have varied, there has been the same inefficiency and mismanagement. Primary laws, char ter legislation and the merit system in the civil service have all been tried, but so long as there has been close ad- herence to party lines in municipal elections, these attempts have always failed to effect radical and perma- nent reform The superior skill of the boss and the greater interests of his followers in the nominations make primary laws of little value. Charter legislation fails because even the best forms of government in the hands of bad men can be subverted to their ends.
 The merit system in the hands of its enemies can be rendered of little value, as Tammany is now demonstra- ting in New York. The only relief from boss-rule has been obtained by disregarding national party lines in city elections. This practice has suc- ceeded because it strikes at the root of the evil.
 MT. Schultz for Princeton.
 w. M. Schultz continued for Prince ton. He argued that even if strictly municipal parties operated in city elec- tions, national party lines would still be adhered to in state and national elections. It would be impossible to weld city electors into strong party adherence in one election and have their bond torn apart at another. Ma tional parties had behind them his- tcry in which voters had confidence, ard they alone could permanently se- cure any effective ends. Since parties were inevitable, since national parties were the strongest parties and were adopted for use in municipal affairs and since the evils of municipal poli- tics were not due to national parties as such, he held the negative position to be sound.
 Mir. Studins,Si for Yale.
 The closing speech in the presenta- tion of the Yale argument was present. ed by c. H. Studinski who said that the idea for which his side stood is not new nor an untried one. It has giv- cn successful results in Europe and in the school systems of this country. Its value is recognized in separation of city elections from those of the state and nation, and In the primary laws which have been enacted recent ly; moreover in the charter laws and in civil service reform. The voters themselves, as is evidenced by recent elections in New York, Chicago and Philadelphia, recognize the value of independent voting. Our cities have been best governed when non-partisan- ship has prevailed, as is seen in the case of New York, Baltimore, Provi- dence and numerous other cities. When the voters are independent the parties are forced to be responsible. We have not had more Independent parties because of two illusions, first that by independence the voter loses influence iii the party, and second that he weakens the party's power as g na- tional organization. When these illu- sions pass away and the voters en- force responsibility upon the parties our cities shall be well governed.
 Mr. Lowrie for Princeton.
 M I4owrie concluded the debate for Princeton. He recapitlllated the argu- nents of his colleagues. Independent municipal parties did not provide, he claimed for the inertia of the average municipal voter. Owing to the com plexity Of our municipal political ar- engagements it was impossible for the voters to give adequate consideration to all the questions coming before them. Parties must be depended upon, and as the national parties give the greatest assurance of being able to permanently affect results, it was to them that the average voter would in- sist upon looking in municipal elec- tions.
 Yale and Princeton differed upon the interpretation of the question. Yale held that the question referred merely to the election of municipal officers, while Princeton contended that it involved preliminary nominating conventions, the primary and the election. The de- cision of the judges in Yale's favor was announced by Hon. Mr. Wilson.
 SKETCHES OF YALE MEN.
 Nathan Aver Smyth, P. G., was born in Quincy, H., May 29, 1876. He prepar- ed for college at Andover. He took an i,,ta in, dono fhoro md