New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-05
BOYS HIGH SCHOOL WINS
Beats De Witt Clinton III. S. and
Gets Tribune GaUel.

The handsome gaveI offered by The Tribune
to the school in the Greater NewYork Inter
scholastic Debating League winning the cham
pionship was won last evening by the Boys
High School of Brooklyn after a cleverly con-
tested debate with the De Witt Clinton High
School (Thrteenth-st. annex. Manhattan at the
Boys High School, Putnam and Marcy aves-
The system arranged for the debates was that
the schools of the league were arranged in TWO
sets of four each, in which each school debated
with the three others in succession. The school
which made the best record in this series de-
bated for the final championship with the school
in the other series.
In Section \ the Boys High School defeated
the Eastern District High School. the De Witt
Clinton High School Observation-Disclosures
ST annex and the Commercial High School
In Section B the De Witt Clinton High School,
tThirteenth-st. annex. defeated the Port Rich
mond High School, the De Witt Clinton High
School (Twenty-third-st annex, and the Stapls-
ton High School. The subject OF the debate OF
the champions of these two sections last even
ing was: Resolved, That immigration to the
United States Should be Further Restricted"
DIR. William H. Maxwell. City Superintendent
Of Schools, presided and introduced the debat-
ers. The judges were Dean Clarence d. Ash
ley, OF the New-York University Law School;
ex-President ]. Edward Swanstrom. of Brook
Ign. and Judge Sidney F. Rawson. of Richmond.
The affirmative was taken by the Boys High
School, and the debate opened by John T.
Hancock. the captain. He argued that ten
years ago the immigrants from England. Scot
land and Germany were Of 4 desirable character.
while to-day the United States was overrn
with undesirable Huns, Slavs and Italians. He
maintained that there should be a more rigid
enforcement of existing laws and the enact
ment of more restrictive legislation. These i'm
migrants, he said, exercised a pernlcious inHu-
ence on our social economic and political con-
ditiOns.
The negative opened for the De Witt
Clinton High School by Israel Safro who de-
clared that the present restrictions on immigra-
ton were sufficient; to restrict further would be
TO violate the policy of the United States 4
change would be difficult without violating
American traditions and principles. There were
enormous stretches of undeveloped territory.
and Americans could not build their railroads
without Italians There was now more manual
labor In this country TO be done than there were
hands to DO It,
Theodore r. Smith. for the affirmative urged
that many of the immigrants were not easily
assimiated. The strong men did not go West
where they were wanted. but cOngregated in the
Sums The large majority of them were not
self-supporting. They were like the leech-ab-
the negative. Irving PereH reJoined that the
present immigration laws in restricting the in
sane the paupers and the professional beggars
were strict enough
Douglas Griesemer. for the affirmative as
serted that thousands of immigrants were SNUG
gled across the Canadian border and that irnmi-
grafton fostered by the steamship companies
should be restricted Philip r. Goodfeish cap
tain of De Witt Clinton High School urged
thut ;y,,,,
never received more money than he does to-day
1t was not question. he said. Of assmnating
the immigrant, but the immigrants children
and that was possible through the school sys-
tenn
After the captains OF the respective sides had
made refutations the judges retired while the
large audience was entertained by the school
yels of the boys and then by selections by the
Boys High School Orchestra and Mandolin Club
The return of the judges was greeted with ap-
plause Judge Rawson said that the young
men who had labored so earnestly IN the cause
had done something OF which they should be
proud he was pleased that they had struck
the true line of oratory namely argument from
facts. The Judge then announced that the win
ner of the debate the Boys High School
enthusiastic applause and lusty school yell
greeted the decision Then William b Bryant
on behalf OF The Tribune presented the gavel
to the winning side. Mr.. Bryant said The
Tribune had great faith in the value OF these
lnterscholastic debates and took great pleasure
IN being instrumental in furthering the move
ment He handed the case containing the gavel
10 Captain Hancock. who waved the gaveI in
triumph. while enthusiastic cheers broke out
afresh. After the exercises the platform was
crowded with students and their friends. who ex-
pressed their admiration of the gavel which
Is of solid ebony and gold mounted. and their ap-
probation OF The TribUne'S gift.
The gayel will be the permanent possession
Of the high school in the league which wins
the championship two years in succession. As II
was won by the Boys High School last evening.
II may be used in the debating society the COM
ing year. The director of the league is Charles
S Hartwell. of the Boys High School. The
president is David Rosenblum and the or
ganizer and honorary president. ]. R. Swift.
The adopted schedule of debates and judges OF
the Greater New-York InterschOlastic Debat-
ing League for the season OF 19O4-'05 is as fol-
lows: