The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-20
Members of Harvard Freshman
Debating Club Given Decision
Over High School Boys
THEY SUSTAIN THE Beers
POSITION IN THE WAR
First Joint Debate of the College
and Preparatory School Stu
dents a Big Success

The character of the debate last
evening between speakers from the
Harvard Debating club and from the
| Worcester high school cannot be better
expressed than in the words of Col
Samuel e. Winslow, who, when in an
nouncing the decision of the judges,
said, Il do not believe anywhere one
could find six young men of equal age
and training that would surpass these
speakers we have heard tonight, either
in point of argument or method of de-
| livery
| The debate, which has been in pre-
paration for some time took place at
the English high school building at
7.3O o'clock. There was large attend
ance, with members of both high
schools in the majority.
After selection by the English high
school orchestra, the presiding officer,
Hon. Joseph H. Walker, announced the
rules governing the debate, and asked
| the audience to refrain from applause
or manifestation of feeling during the
| remarks of any of the speakers. The
opening speeches We're limited to II
minutes, and on rebuttal five minutes
were allowed.
The subject of debate was: Resolved,
that Great Britain's claims in the pres
ent controversy with the South African
republic are justifiable." Worcester had
the affirmative, with these speakers: j.
4. Madden, w. E. Prince, f. j. Rooney;
Harvard had the negative, with these
speakers: c. H. Scovell, A. Black, j. D.
| Williams.
| j. T. Madden was the first speaker
He gave a brief review Of the situation
| in South Africa, dating back from the
time of the first trouble between the
Beers and England. While the Beers
| have presented many claims for redress
the British government has presented
only two claims. To be confined strictly
to the point, the present controversy
| dates back to March "a, 1899. The speak
er commended that
THE BRITISH WERE UNSUITABLE
legally and morally. The first claim was
sovereignty of Great Britain over the
South African republic. The interna-
ttonal relations were determined by
conventions of 1881 and 1884 BY them,
England has been legally justified.
When the Beers oppressed the Outland-
ers, practiced slavery and committed
injustice, England was morally justified
in stepping in.
G. H. Scovell was the first speaker on
| the negative. The negative admits that
Ethe Transvaal cannot make treaties
without the approval of Great Britain,
but otherwise it is free. Quotations
were made from the speeches of English
statesmen to prove that they believed
in giving freedom to the Beers ever
since the convention of 1852 If British
interference is to be justified, it must
be by international law. Interference
is only justified in extreme cases. In
the convention of 1884 there was no
word of sovereignty Since then Eng
fish statesmen have shifted ground
w. E. Prince was the next speaker
for the high schools England demands
two claims; sovereignty and franchise.
The claim for the right to vote, for the
Outlanders Is justified morally and le-
gally. England has right to protect
her own subjects in other lands. On
the moral side, 1t is to be considered
that the Outlanders pay more than one
half of the taxes, and ought to have
a right to vote. The Dutch language
is taught in the public schools. There
is no safety or security among the
Beers. These two claims OF England
are just and simple.
A. Black, for the negative, spoke of
the exaggeration of grievances among
the Outlanders. Isolated examples do
not prove the rule. BY no provision of
| international law
CAN ONE NATION COMPEL AN
OTHER.
to grant franchise. The three principles
of international law that justify inter-
ference are self-preservation, motives
OF humanity and protection of it's citi-
zenS. These three principles do not APP
ply in South Africa.
F. ]. Rooney, the last speaker for the
high schools, maintained that the Boer
rule was an oligarchy. The majority
should not be governed by the minori-
ty. England claims the right of fran
chlse for her subjects living in South
Africa. The Beers precipitated the
conflict.
J. D. Williams, the last speaker for
Harvard, said that the burden of the
arguments of the affirmative, was the
claim of England as found in the coll
onial blue book Franchise was not in
cluded in the convention of 1884 To in
terfere, England must find justification
in international law. She has not found
that justification from international
law, He went into detail to prove his
statements.
In rebuttal the order of speakers was
reversed, and each took the opportuni-
ty of battering down the logic and ar
guments of his opponents.
When the speakers had concluded,
the three judges of the debate, Col
Samuel E, Winslow, chairman, Gen
lockwood Hoar and Hon. Charles G.
Washburn, passed into the corridor for
consultation while the orchestra played
another selection. In few moments
the judges returned and Col. Winslow,
in announcing the result, said the de-
ciSiOn had been made according to the
rules and suggestions furnished by both
clubs and the Intercollegiate Debating
society of Princeton. Considering the
form of presentation manner of deliv-
cry, and force of argument, the award
was made to Harvard