The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-08
He Is a Richmond Boy, and His Sub
ject Was "IOuverture, the
Emancipator"
0FFUTT, OF BUTLER, THIRD
DE PAUW's ORATOR, J. NJ. DEvERs,
TOOK SECOND PLACE.
Business Meeting of Oratorical As
sociatfon-Reunfons of Va
rious Freternities.

Joseph Kenney, of Earlham College, won
the state intercollegiate oratorical contest
at Tomlinson Hall last night. J. NJ. Devers,
of De Pauw, took second place; Samuel j.
Offutt, of Butler, third: A c. Everingham,
of Franklin, fourth; r. r. Alexander, of
Wabash, fifth; ]. f. Giboney. Of Hanover,
sixth
Though the big hall was half full Of the
students and from the time they assembled
until they left there was no lack of cheer
ing, il was not an overbosterous throng.
The contests had been held before in
smaller place, and before the orators of
last night began the president OF the asso-
citation, Ken II. Edwards, OF De Pauw,
asked that there be no noise during the
speeches. Before the programme was
opened the delegations from the different
colleges Wed with each other for the honor
of shouting the loudest. Each delegation
was led by its yell captain, and the yells
were as diversified as might be. Butler,
because Of its being able to command
larger representation in this city than any
other college, dominated the yelling.
Kenney, the winner OF the contest, is a
Richmond boy He was born there in 1881
and is now junior at Earlham. He was
and last year at Notre Dame he won the
Breene gold medal in oratory. His subject
last night was "L'Ouverture. the Emanci-
pator" He gave this mans career a world
wide significance. L'Ouverture, he said,
was born a slave on the Island of San Do
mingo in 174S. He was the last of line of
African chiefs, and his superiority lifted
him above the listlessness of the slaves
The United States and the most powerful
nations of Europe had recognized the slav-
cry of negroes as legitimate, but when
France deified liberty and equality after
a reign of blood the negroes of Frances
possession, San Domingo. were stirred to
demand their human right. The French
governor of the island refused to concede
freedom TO them, and, led by LOuverture
they rose in rebellion. Armed with clubs
and corn knives they successfully fought
$1,000 of the best soldiers of France
L'Ouverture was captured by a breach of
faith and taken to France where he died
in a prison in the Alps. But it was too late
then for France to defeat L,Ouverture.s
cause by removing him. And his struggle
was an inspiration to Garrison, Phillips
and Lincoln in America. The negro owes
his freedom from slavery primarily to
LOuverture.
JEAN VALJEAN AS A TYPE.
Devers attempted an analysis of societys
attitude toward the criminal. He sketched
the career Of Jean Vatican. who was i'm
prisoned for having stolen a loaf OF bread
to feed the children of his family, and who
was thus made a criminal by the law when
at heart he was honest. Assuming that
Victor Hugo's hero did and was done to as
related in Les Miserables." Devers as
serted Vatican to be a universal type of
the man wrOnged by society Sociology
must be the evolution Of Christian thought
he said Society must look more at the
impulse OF the crime than its circum-
stances. Legal and ethical judgment and
criminals must be separa ted. for otherwise
IL occurs that the cashier of savings
bank steals hundreds OF persons money
and successfully eVades the law with his
ill-gotten gains, while the man that steals
bread for his family must go TO prison. The
saloons feed the penitentiaries and should
lockout and the blacklist and they create
anarchy.
Orutt OF Butler. spoke of 1.-The Message
ample. He made the point that now the
litical and social, and in the indifference of
the last decade the good omens have been
that the one living ex-President has recent
those vital 10 the whole public, that Seth
the worst political forces in New York and