The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-08
CARLETON Man WINS
ERNEST G. TOAN TAKES FIRST
PRIZE In THE INTERCOLLE-
GIATE CONTEST
THREE INSTITUTIONS IN IT
A Large Audience ut House of Hope
Church, Where the Orations Were
Delivered - A. j. Finch, of the
State University, Gets Second,
and Louis Drill, of Hamiine, is
the Third.


and Louis Drill, of Hamiine, is
the Third.
The nineteenth annual contest Of the
Minnesota intercollegiate Oratorical as
ISOLATION was held at the House of Hope
church last evening, an audience Of near
ly 400 was present, composed for the
most part of college students who howled
themselves hoarse with their peculiar
and varied college yells, but subsidized
when the Rev. Mr.. Paxton. of the House
OF Hope church assembled the platform to
deliver the invocation.
Three colleges, Hamiine, Carleton and
the state university were represented
by two speakers each, and the pro-
gramme of orations was interspersed
with music by the University Mandolin
club. The officers of the association are
Robert M. LutZ. president; Fred Coleman,
vice president; Harold E. Robertson. sec
rotary and Hector G. Spaulding, treas
urer. The judges Of the contest were, on
thought and composition. Chancellor w.
Eayard Craig, Of Drake university, presi-
dent; Amos N. Currie, of the University
of Iowa, and James s. McLain, editor of
the Minneapolis Journal; on delivery,
Judges Walter H. Sanborn, Rev. James
I. Cleary, and the Rev. Mr.. Paxton.
Mr.. Loren N. Wood, of Carleton college,
was the first orator, having chosen for
his subject, "The Modern Spirit" He
said in part: 1.-The demand for individual
right has become name for license and
individual sovereignty has become syn
onymous with tyrany. Society must be
reorganized, and a reorganization Will
come. The divine creation is the brother
hood of man, and the need of change Is
apparent. The modern spirit is not based
on theory, but duty which Is the motive
power, and fraternity is it's aim. Our
statutes stand barrier between hui
mainly and cruelty, If we are to enforce
mans duty to man 1t must come from
conscience and sentiment
Mr.. Lewis Drill, of Hamline, spoke of
the Passing Glory of England Change
is an memorable law and nothing endures
but the divine, every lot must bear its
share of sorrow, ruins of empires are
ashes Of burned out civilizations, and the
glory of England lies under the shadow
of three hundred years. We find Eng
land rich, proud, powerful, and perhaps
enduring, but only a nation among ma
lions, she is no longer supreme. Her
beginning was rude perhaps, but time
will not forget her achievements, where
her flag has been planted. has been plant
ed civilization, she has carried the prin-
ciple Of freedom into every land, but Eng
land today is looking backward over a
golden past"
Arthur J. Finch. of the university.
spoke of the Decline Of the United
States Senate" He said: 1.-THE United
States senate was originally the concen-
tration of the virtue, wisdom and intelli-
genee of the narion and the ideal was
reached in the first fifty years of our ma
tional life, but instead, today, it is the
center of political life, the favored spot
of the boss and is tern with the strife of
party factions There are able men to-
day, but the personnel is not the equal
Of that of fifty years ago. Why has 1t
degenerated? Have the people degenerat-
ed: Men were formerly elected for their
craftsmanship, but now they are elected
to represent corporate interests. Com
mercial interests are all powerful and
trusts have combined to control legisla-
ton and no legislation hostile to them
can be passed Bosses are going to the
senate in increasing numbers every year,
If 1t continues where will be our boosted
Democracy? The ship of state will be
wrecked ON the rocks OF commercialism
The reform cannot be accomplished by
the people who stay at home, they must
assert their rights at the polls and United
States senators must be elected by the
people"
Ernest G. Toan, of Carleton college.
speaking on War AS a Factor in Civil
ization, said Strife is the law of prog
ress, not by speeches and resolutions are
great ends accomplished, but by war and
blood. The factors of progress are Chris
tianity, commerce and war War is more
| than visible conflict, it Is the clashing
OF great ideas. Mohammed marshaled his
hosts to enforce religion. Diplomacy
may settle minor differences but war Is
the court Of last resort of nations. War
Is mans greatest calamity, but the world
has not reached that stage when peace
and progress go hand in hand Long
continued peace deprives nation of its
strength, the names of the monied men
are curse, but the names most honored
are the heroes of war
Mr.. Robert Ray. McKaig, of Hamline,
had chosen for the subject Of his grafton
Spain" He said: "a once great nation
mas fallen. Spain was one of the great
est nations of modern times No nation
was more highly civilized or gave greater
promise of the future but she has worn
herself out with war and Wine cruelty
and inhumanity. The driving out of
Spain of philosophy and learning and the
introduction of the inquisition have ruined
Spain and turned her back to darkness.
ignorance and poverty. She once had
an. area twice the size of the United
States, but by her cruely and oppression
toward her colonies has lost them, and
therein reaped the retribution for her
crimes Her infamous colonial policy has
driven her to the verge of ruin. Spain
has fallen. but will rise again. A recuper-
atlye power does not lie In IN army ror
navy, but In an economic resistance
Spain is the Eden OF europe and her
people are getting away from ignorance
and superstition into knowledge and
power The common people of Spain will
be the sovereigns of the future, and are
now working toward the separation of the
church and state. History teaches that
no nation can prosper that does not give
freedom OF speech and conscience. Spain
mas fallen, but will rise again to enter
upon a life of greater prosperity, and
will regain her pristine glory"
Frank G. Sasse, of the university, spoke
of Politics" THE present." he said,
rs the age of criticism, nothing escapes
even the church and the Bible are as
sailed, and great institutions like poll
tics must come in for their share The
critics would have us believe that every
one knows the horrors and oemoraliza-
ton of politics, that political parties are
organized for the swindling of the mass
es. Political parties are the real power
Ia successful government. England Is
the best government of the old world
because of her two great parties. Com
petition In politics is the life of good
government, and when It ceases the gov
ernment dies. Germany is arbitrarily
ruled, liberty of press and of speech ex-
tst In name only, and 1t is because she
has twenty-five political parties with
only two 1t would be different Political
parties send out their best literature and
speakers: men are enlightened and up-
lifted, and we Should hasten the time
when every man will be sufficiently well
Informed to be campaig1Ier Change
IN political preferment of parties has
wholesome effect. Our political parties
l.