The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-02-06
WHO WON FIRST PLACE m ORA
ToRrCAL CONTEST AT IN
DIANAPOLIS
"GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS'
Was the Winning Theme-And the
Speaker Handled His Subject in
a Mastery Manner.

The various delegations from the
separate colleges that were represent
ed in the contest last night, after
having yelled considerably and having
made their presence known in the
capital city, gathered in Tomlinson
hall. II as#
The walls of the hall constantly rang
with the yells Of the different col
leees. After the invocation and mu-
sic by a De Pauw quartet, silence
reigned upon the announcement OF
Mr.. Feeger's subject, "Gustavus
Adolphus."
As Mr.. Feeeer began to warm up to
his subject, one could feel the al
ready silent room become even more
silent. and, when the scene of the
battlefield of Leibnitz was being Wv
idly portrayed to the audience, one
could have heard a pin drop.
Feeger's oration on ''Gustavus
Adolphus' was a climax from be
ginning to end. 1t began with de
seription of the conditions that ex-
listed in Europe after the Reforma-
ton and at a time when the new
Protestant religion seemed to be on
the verge of being extinguished by
Catholicism.
At the right time and at the most
impressive place Mr.. Feeger intro
duced his subject. "Gustavus Adolf
phus.
Mr.. Feeger's description Of Gus
tavus' battle in his private chamber,
alone. deciding which was better for
him to do, stay at home with his fam
ilv and retain his beloved Sweden In
peace, or to plunge his native land,
which had just attained an important
place among the foremost powers OF
Europe, into destructive war; to lead
his country men to their death on
foreign soil IN the hope OF battling
for the right, in order to keep their
free religious thought from being de
MED them, just held his audience IN
suspense until the decision was re-
vealed to them.
Then followed a brilliant descrip-
ton of the brave, persistent and ir-
resistible campaign Of the Swedes.
Of their valiant march through the
very heart of Germany, carrying
everything before them.
Finally after Ferdinand had called
the retired Wallenstein to battle for
the cause Of Catholicism. the two
great armies meet upon the renowned
field of Leibnitz. The two greatest
generals stood face to face On the
one side stood an army representing
the Catholic faith; the defenders of
absolutism; the army for enslaved
thought and restricted speech; and
the significance of ignorance. On the
other side the defenders of the new
faith: the soldiers of free intellectual
thought; of inspired freedom, and
love. The world awaited the issue.
Who was to winl Was 1t possible
that the Swede could defeat the vet
Grams Of Wallinstein, the heroes of
a hundred battles?
Mr. Feeger then gave a brilliant
description of the battle, the charges,
and repulses; the work of the artil-
lery and and the cavalry; and, finally,
the victory for the Swedes; but
the cost of the death of Gustavus
Adolphus. This battle scene com
pletely captivated the audience and
won the contest. Nothing was its
equal.
When Mr.. Feeger closed his oration
one could tell that he had impressed
the audience wonderfully.
The Earlham students felt sure that
their orator had won, and he did.
Depauw received second place. Her
speaker. Mr. Manferd c. WRIGHT.
spoke on the subject, "Omr National
Crime. -
His thought and composition were
very good indeed, but his delivery was
not so good. His oration showed much