Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-19
VOTE WAS UNANIMOUS
Columbian Students Win in
Debate.
QUESTION DISCUSSED
ALLIANCE BETWEEN UNITED
STATES AND ENGLAND.
University of Virginia Representatives
Go Down Before the Local
Contingent.
QUESTION DISCU SSED

| versity and the University Of Virginia filled
| Columbia Theater yesterday afternoon. The
occasion was the contest between the crack
| debaters Of the universities, and which
| ended in victory for Columbian. AS both
| sides had partisans the scene of the debate
had many lively and picturesque features.
| College colors were In evidence, the yellow
| and black being waved by the adherents of
Columbian, while the adherents of the Uni
versity Of Virginia displayed their emblems
| of black and yellow.
The greeting which the speakers received
| was hearty and spontaneous and they were
! cheered on to their best endeavors by the
| evident interest which was manifested on
| the part of their fellow students. College
| yells were given with will, and the at
! mosphere was decidedly that of the free
| and hearty life of exuberant youth.
The orchestra rendered selections, while
| the audience was being seated, and then
Mr.. Charles w. Needham, the dean of the
School of Comparative Jurisprudence, step
| ped forward and announced the order of
the debate.
Debaters and Judges.
On each side of the stage were seated the
debaters, while in the orchestra seats were
the judges, Justice White of the Supreme
Court: Senator Culom of Illinois and Sen
| ator Hawley of Connecticut.
The question was Resolved, That an Of
l
Britain would be to the best interests of
| the United States" Columbian argued the
affirmative side of the question. while the
negative was supported by Virginia
The affirmative debaterS from Columbian
were Mr.. Luther NJ. Walter Of Kentucky,
| Mr.. Joseph w. Howell of Michigan, and Mr.
j. Homer Deis of Ohio each of whom spoke
| sixteen minutes. The speakers on the neg
alive side were Mr.. James K. Cation, Jr.,
of Virginia: Mr.. Thomas w Holloman of
| Mississippi and Mr.. Toy Dixon Savage of
| North Carolina. The two former spoke six
teen minutes, and the others twenty-one
minutes. Mr.. Deis had five minutes in
which to close the argument for the affirm
| alive.
| The arguments advanced showed that the
debaters had thoroughly studied the sub
ject. After comforting together upon the
| conclusion of the debate, the judges reached
| the unanimous decision that the affirmative
side had made the best argument. Their
| decision was received with a great demon
stration on the part of the adherents of
Columbian University.
The Arguments.
Mr.. Waller, in opening the debate, said
the position which the affirmative would
assume in the discussion would be the po-
stion of Americans who believe in a gov
eminent for the people, of the people and
| by the people. He stated the objects of the
| alliance and produced arguments to prove
that conditions at this time were favorable
| to it. The objects of an alliance with
Great Britain he declared, were the build
| ing up of American commerce, the extern
sion of the Enblsh language throughout
| the world and the formation of an interna-
| tional tribunal Such an alliance said the
speaker, would not be a menace to the rest
| of the world, but would command peace
| He said that all Europe was now arrayed
| against the United States induStrially, and
with Great Britain as orr ally the COM
merce of the world could be controlled. In
discussing American commercial conditions
the speaker endeayored to show that unless
big and steady outlet for our immense
amount of products can be secured abroad
overproduction will come, with wreck and
ruin as the result.
Mr.. Cation was the first speaker for the
negative, and he said that the very
nature of such alliance, proposed,
was beligerent. for offensive and defen-
sive alliance carried with it the assumption
that the countries participating in it have
common interests in America. He said
there were no such imperiaiistc tendencies
as prevailed in Great Britain. He said that
America already had Englands moral sup
port without an alliance, and that such
agreement would not benefit the United
States commercially, neither would 1t be
conductive to the maintenance of the peace
of nations. Mr.. Cation said an alliance
would lead to the abolition of the Monroe
doctrine, and to entanglements between our
government and European countries, and
while America might strengthen herself
abroad she would weaken herself at home.
Mr.. Howell, the second speaker for the
affirmative. in opening his argument, re-
quested the judges to bear in mind that
this alliance was for the present time and
not for the middle ages. He said that as
this government formerly had to provide
for the relations between states so now
must 1t participate with other governments
in providing for the relations between
nations. He declared that Great Britain
was the most natural ally this government
could gain He said this was true be-
nr11n a r1lS Dnd c;y,,f1o
methods of attaining these aims; because
of the common language, the common liter
allure. common institutions and common
law, which exist between the United States
and Great Britain. AS to the Monroe doc
trine he said, the alliance would not give
England authority to go into South Amer
lea, as 1t would have to recognize all exist
ing Institutions of both governments He
stated that with England in control of the
Mediterranean and this country in control
of the isthm1an canal, the two govern
ments would hold the gates to commercial
pathway around the globe, and cited this
as another reason why Great Britain was
a natural ally.
In continuing the argument for the mega
tive SIDE MI Hobleman asserted that the
commercial interests of this country for
bid an alliance and that commercial treat
les could be secured without it, He said Ii
would be stark madness for this country
to tie itself up with Great Britain. for the
world would instantly combine against the
two governments. and ii would be found
that America and England could not die
tate the commerce of the world He con-
sidered it foolhardy to seek an alliance with
England for the purpose of benefiting the
commercial interests of this country, as
the United States already sends her prod
ucts to Great Britain and all her posses
sions free of duty, and Great Britain is her
largest customer. I'VE need stimulant
for our commerce. the speaker said. 1T is
Great Britain that needs the Stimulant. An
alliance would give her all the benefits"
The speaker cited several historical cases
to show that an alliance almost invariably
results in war. A British-American ALI
ance, he declared would result in a race
war. in which all the peoples who do not
speak English would array themselves
against the Anglo-Saxons Instead of be-
ing a blessing. he said, alliance with
Great Britain would be a curse.
The Closing Speeches.
The affirmative side was taken I'D by Mr..
Deis, who prefaced his remarks by saying
that neither of the contracting governments
would ever be compelled to engage in an
unjust war in behalf of the other. The
greatest benefit to this country, he said.
would be that England and America would