The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-02-07
WON BY WELLS.
Last Nights High School De-
batting Contest.
Mankato Contestants Made Splendid
Showing.---The Subject of Capt.
tai Punishment Discussed.

Wells carried OFT the hOnorS OF the
high school debating. contest last
night, the judges SO deciding by vote
of two to one The high school assem-
bly, room was crowded to its capacity
with students of the school, citizens,
and large delegation from among
the students and citizens of Wells. The
building rang with class yells during
a half hours wait caused by the late
arrival of one of the judges, the stu
dents of both schools joining. The best
of good feeling prevailed between the
two schools, and the remainder OF the
audience enjoyed the vocal exhibition.
The program was opened with sew
eral selections by large mixed chorus
of students under the direction of Miss
Pitcher, showing the effect of careful
training. Miss Pitcher is doing ex'
cellent work in the schools. according
to all reports.
Supt. Uline thanked the judges for
coming, these being President VALID
strom Of .Gustavus Adplphus college,
st. Peter, supt. Bliss of Waseca, and
Supt. Kennedy of Fairmont. lie also
welcomed the Wells delegation, and
explained the purpose and plan of the
debating league of the state. 1t had
been started to improve the rhetori-
Gals. He said that the local speakers
had received their training in the high
school debating club. In the future
the young ladies would be admitted
to this club. This announcement was
greeted with applause, the young
ladies leading. Mr.. Uline. then intro
duced James Swan, president of the
debating club, who presided during
the evening.
The subject of the debate was,
''Resolved, That Capital Punishment
Should be Abolished. This is the
subject that is debated in all of the
contests in the state.
Harry Clark of Wells opened the
affirmative. He said that capital pun
ishment done not prevent crime.
which is due to hereditary instinct.
The crimina, class does not fear the
death penalty. Capital punishment
does not give an opportunity to reform
the persons executed. There is de-
crease in crime where capital punish
ment is abolished, and that form of
punishment is not in accordance with
modern civilization. He would make
release from prison impossible.
Frank Watts of Mankato led the
negative side of the question in for
chile argument. He held that it was
right and expedient TO have capital
punishment, and that it was not wise
to disarm the government by taking
away the power to enforce the laws by
the taking of life if necessary. He
mentioned the cases Of assassins Of
presidents, anarchists and rioters, and
the crimes of negroes in the south. He
said that lynch law has resulted from
criminals escaping with small punish
ment. Lynching increases where there
is no capital punishment provided by
| law.
Arthur Anderson of Wells maintained
that capital punishment tends to In
crease crime, as public executions witt
the revolving details published to tn
world have a demoralizing effect OF
the public mind. Executions, if hat
at all. should be conducted as pri-
vately as possible. He thought tina
capital punishment results in the con
demned men being made heroes of il
a way, and that their crimes were los
sight of. That morbid disease, the low
for notoriety, is encouraged. The sac
redness of human life is decreased, an
It's object really fails because of tn
uncertainty of it's infiiction. Only tw
per cent of the homicides in Americ
were hung last year. Fewer convic
tions are had under capital punish
ment, because of the reluctance {
juries.
Carl Carlson of Mankato said tina
capital punishment is really MOI
humane to the prisoner than life i'm
prisonment, for the solitary confin'
ment that some states have for the Iii
prisoners is a prolonged and gallin
| torture, without hope and resulting
insanity.
John Bieri of Wells based his arg
ment against capital punishmel
largely on the Bible. which ever.
where except in the old Mosaic la
makes an injunction against takir
the life of another. Lives of innocel
men have sometimes been taken, as
| result oe circumstantial evidence.
Roy Andrews was the last speak,
9 for Mankato and thought that the r
: cords showed that capital punishme
: is greater deterrent from crime thu
d life imprisonment. He spoke Of t
: ease with which pardons are secure
j: In Massachusetts,, seven years is t
l. average duration of imprisonment
J. these sentenced for life, and 9th
q states have almost as bad shown
d Every effort is put forth to obta
a pardons, and the crimes are finally fl
J. gotten in the feeling of sympat
II that is worked up for the prisone
Life Imprisonment guarantees suppt