Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-23
FOR MERRICK MEDAL
Annual Debate by Students Of George
town University.
TERRITORIAL EXPANSION TEE THEME
Representatives of PhiIodemic So
ciety in the Discussion.
LARGE AUDIENCE PRESENT

The annual debate for a gold medal by the
| representative speakers of the Philodemic
| Society of Georgetown University was held
| last evening in the CASTOR Memorial Hall
| of the university. 1t has been the custom
| for many years past to hold the debate on
Washington's birthday, and, as on previous
| occasions, large crowd assembled, COM
pletely filling the hall. The audience fire.
! Quently applauded the speakers. The hall
/ was prettiy decorated for the occasion.
| The four CONTESTANTS with the chairman
| of the debate, occupied seats on the stage
| Large American flags gracefully draped af-
| forded a good background, while screens
| and potted palms added to the pleasing eff
| fects. A bronze bust of the immortal
| Washington placed on a marble pillar was
| to the right of the stage, while picture of
| Mr.. Richard Merrick rested on an easel on
the opposite side. An oil painting Of the
| benefactor of the university. after whom the
| hall was named occupied the central rear
| portion of the stage.
| The debate was for the Merrick gold med
| al. which is said to be one of the most val
uable college prizes given at any institu-
ton in the country. 1t is a massive affair,
| valued at 500
| The medal is given annually through
| the generosity of the late Mr.. r. T. Mer-
| rick, whose endowment is more than suffi-
| c1ent for the purpose. and is more eagerly
| sought than is any given at the university
| 1t was somewhat later than the scheduled
| time when the contestants and chairman
| of the debate took their seats upon the
| stage Immediately afterward the full glee
| club appeared and received such applause
Upon the rendition of Mays THE Water
| Milf that it appeared a second time. The
| Judges of the debate were Senator John NJ.
ThurSton, Representative Robert w Davis
| and Judge Seth Shepard, associate justice
| Of the District Court of Appeals The
| judges occupied seats directly in front of
| he speakers in the first row occupied by
, the audience.
Mr.. O'NeiIIs Introductory.
| The Introductory address was made by
Mr. Thomas ]. ONeil of the class of 30.
who was the fortunate winner of the medal
| last year. He spoke of the long existence of
| the Philodemic Society, which, he said is
| perhaps one of the oldest college societies
| in the country, whose fundamental princi-
| pies are eloquence and patriotism. He paid
1 a tribute to the generosity of Mr.. Merrick
| ard the reasons which influenced him in
| awarding medal annually. The subject
| of the debate, he announced, That
| the policy of territorial expansion as 1t is
| now being advanced is conducive to the
| best interests of our country"
John f. Moore of Massachusetts, class
| of 1900, was the first contestant, speaking
| for the affirmative side of the question.
In his opening sentence ne spoke of a
| Eainting on exhibition at the capital of a
| European country. an categorical repre-
d
| man was endeavoring to unravel tangled
| mass of thread. This was the situation
| that confronted Columbia at the present
! time in dealing with a country that is
J alien in race, alien in custom and alien in
distance. Territorial expansion is not
| demand for empire" said he. Expansion
1 Is the law of growth" he said, land with
out growth there can be prosperity.
| The policy of extension does not depart
| from our constitutional requirements There
| is no one who can say that this has been
| done
The speaker referred to the acquisitions
| that have been made to American territory
| by purchase. by cesson and by conquest,
citing the Florida purchase in 1919. where
| an immense amount of territory came into
| the possession of this country. The Texas
| conquest and purchase, representing an
| outlay of $l5, 1908, coo. brought over 100000
| square miles of additional territory, ex-
| tending from the Gulf OF Mexico to the
Pacific ocean.
| The speaker could see no difference in
| the manner in which these areas We're Sc
cured and the method in which the Philip
| pine Islands came under our control He
| did not see the necessity of taking con-
| tiguous territory for expansion. Alaska is
| a notable exception to this.
THE policy of expansion, ~ said he. SIS
only a continuation of former policy.
The simple principles of the time of Wash
iHgton have been turned into International
| principles ever since the time of Grant. All
| nations seek for supremacy. and the United
States is exception. The Philippine Is
lands under foreign control would greatly
impede our foreign trade
The speaker closed his argument with a
denunciation of Aguinaldo.
Three Propositions.
The first on the negative side was James
A. O'Shea of New York, class of 30. His
argument was based on three propositions
first that expansion is contrary to our fun
damental principles of government: second,
that 1t is unjust, and. third that 1t is I'M
wise to annex the islands.
In 1I76 our forefathers fought against
just what We are now trying to force upon
the Filipinos,' he said. This government
recognized Cuba a free and Independent
government, but refused to grant the same
privileges to the natives of the Philip
pines. Tyranny assumes the rule of the
philanthropSt,' said he, in refutation of
the statement that this government is do
ing the best thing possible for the natives
He said Great Britain never acquired a
single new possession unless her CONNER
cial interests in the same were paramount.
He spoke of the cheap labor that would
result from annexation, to the serious det-
riment of the American workingman. No
one could guarantee that We would not
have the trouble with the Filipinos
as we recently had in the state of North
Carolina. referring to the recent race war
Besides the increased taxes that would
result from this move" he said, lit means
an increase of s241, 100000 in expense every
year, placing upon the back of the poor
man of this country, as in the case of the
peasant of Russia, a soldier and a sailor"
Closing Affirmative Address
After several selections by mandolin
quartet, which was twice encored, Leonard