Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-10-29
ORATORICAL
CONTEST AT EARL HAM
LAST NIGHT.
The OrationS, the Winners,
Decision of the Judges
Some Fine Efforts
Joseph w. kenney
The Victor.

The oratorical contest at Earlbaul
last evening TO decide who shall rep
resent that Institution at the state
contest drew out good sized audi
ence, many from the city being pres
ent, who were well repaid for their
time and trouble-it was a splendid
affair, creditable to the college and
the participants and Prof. Trueblood
whose fine work was evident in the
excellent delivery of each contestant.
Mr.. Luther Feeger announced the
various events, opening the evening
with some well chosen remarks, re-
ferring to the past proud history OF
the college in oratorical con tests,
having been at the top or near the
top, always, in state contests; and
expressing the conviction that their
prospects for winning had never
been brighter than on the present
occasion.
A quartet composed of Misses
Johnson and Jenkins and Messrs.
Wesson and Tomlinson rendered
Forget Mel Not, and Arthur w.
Ellis spoke, his subject being
OLIVER P. MORTON.
right and wrong ideas, be-
tween liberty and slavery.
For years orators had urged
the question, but argument could not
settle it. There was such an awful
blot on our institutions that it could
only be wiped away with blood. In
1860 the crisis came. In Indiana
stood a man who with keen insight
into the future declared that ''if
South Carolina succeeds in going out
of the Union | prefer that it should
be at the point of the bayonet. p"
With that trumpet call Morton start
ed Indiana upon the war that meant
freedom to four millions of people.
When he ebecamegovernor he brought
order oqt OF chaos ssad psarity v s.sat Of
corruption. a large portioh of the
state had secession ideas. Prominent
men assisted them and people largely
rallied to their standard, but Morton
by his iudomitable will saved Indiana
TO the Union. This alone would have
placed him among the greatest men
of his time; he imported to others
the heroic enthusiasm that swayed
his great soul, the men of Indiana
mingled their blood with that of the
soldiers of the other states. BY his
courage, energy and devotion to the
cause he made himself the greatest
of the great wargovernors. He was
friend to the soldier; clothed him
when his state would not. No sooner
was the smoke lifted from the battle
field than his ministers of mercy were
there to care for the wounded. When
the soldier returned home Morton
was the first to meet him with the
hands OF love. Then came the recon
struction period with its herculean
tasks; the hand of the assassin re-
moved the head of the government.
Men of great talent were needed in
these crises. Indiana recognized the
need and sent Morton to
the senate where be lowered
as giant among the great
minds of the time; his unbending
will made him the ruler of them all
In his power he was the champion of
right. In war the ablest champion
of war; in peace the warmest friend
of the stricken south In his mem
bership of the electoral commission
he made himself beloved by his friends
aud admired by his enemies He be-
lieved in his party, but he made that
party the Incarnation of principle.
Would that we had more partisans
like him: Ambitious, he never al
lowed himself to rise at the expense
of the good of the people. Indiana
may point with pride to her war
statesmen, her quiet soldiers-but
Har
ginia has given us a Washington :;
Illinois blessed US with a Lincoln
Ohio has given US Garfield and a
Mckinley Indiana has her great
war governor, her inspired patriot,
her peerless statesman, that noble
man, Oliver p. Morton.
NATIONAL DIsREsPECT
Was the subject of r. Roy Bart
lett. The respect of a nation is as
real as the respect of an Individual,
and its disrespect is as potent an in
iuence. It is as essential that we
protect our respect for our institu-
tions as that we extend our domin-
ion. The names of many of our great
cities are already synonyms for cor
ruption; in some of our states a meet
ing of the legislature is almost dread
ed. We are now confrop ted
with a disrespect for the iu-
dicial system which is expected to
enforce our criminal laws In oues-
tions of grave crimes il is no rarity
to have the fear expressed that the
criminal will never be punished. Thus
is anarchy born. 1t came first from
across the seat is of the down
troddeu of other lands hut IL Is foS-