The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-02

the spirit that touched Goethe learn
ed many traditions that never get into
books, and when he spoke he spoke
from head full of knowledge and a
heart that had been touched by every
passion that moved the poet. He had
mastered his subject, fallen in love
with it, and could give picture of the
man as he lived and worked among
his fellow men. This incident is the
secret of the power of Mr. Boutell to
interest men and to win high position.
! The esteem in which Mr.. Boutell is
held, was evidenced from the fact that
all his colleagues in the House, whose
engagements made it possible for them
| to come, We're here to welcome him.
w. w. Kitchin, who represents Chapel
Hill in the House; Hon. Charles r.
Thomas, who has entertained Mr..
Boutell at his home in New Bern;
Hon. Edward W. Pou, who had first
suggested to President Venable that
Mr.. Boutell be invited, and Hon. j.
M. Gudger, all the way from Asheville,
were here to meet their colleague.
For time many friends of the Uni
versity and some of it's trustees feared
that the multiplication of Greek letter
fraternities, social clubs and other
small clubs among the students would
destroy the value of the two ancient
and honorable literary societies. and
they doubted or opposed permitting
the existence of these fraternities and
clubs here. They are of questionable
value at the best and have a tenden-
cy to impair the old time salutary pure
democracy that has so long been the
glory of the American college. The
abolition of the old rule compelling
every student to belong to either the
Di or Phi Society was another step
taken that did not meet with the full
approval of the old alumni. These two
influences did impair the primacy and
power of the literary societies, but in
the past few years the best students
have come to realize that the training
in the literary society is second only
to instruction in the class room. That
membership and in interest 1t is a
sad commentary upon any college or
university to turn out q graduate who
cannot make a speech when occasion
requires. A college graduate who
lacks the capacity to state his views
q portion of education that would be
worth more to him than any other
single branch of education. The time
when all educated men should go into |
a speaking profession has happily
passed. But the time will never come
every man at some time to speak in
public, and the college man ought to
be able to speak whenever necessary.
There is but one way for young man
to learn how to speak-and that is to
practice speaking. The best time and
the best place toilearn is in a literary
society i'm college.H The membership in
the societies during the past year has
grown and the societies are doing bet
ter work than in some years The two
societies this year gave an elegant
banquet on Monday night. 1t is their
custom to have brief speeches by stu
dents and an address by distinguish |
ed alumnus. This year Hon. Robert
w. Winston was the guest of honor and
spoke on 1.-THE Point of View" 1t was
q thoughtful and scholarly pape", en- !
riched with classical Illustration and |
yNY.n fpff Srnl ic1n n a
proof that in scholarship, originality |
and virility of thought he is easily |
among the first men of his genera |
ton.
The literary societies do not deal
merelywith what we call literature The |
topics discussed are timely and prac-
teal. The biggest question before the
American people today is the regula-
ton of railroad rates. 1t concerns |
every manufacturer and every con- |
sumner in the country, for the cost of
transportation is often of more inn |
portance than the cost of production. |
In the debate here on Tuesday night |
the query was whether there should |
be regulation of railroad rates. The |
debate was practical, the speakers |
dealing in facts and figures.
The affirmative won because the |
committee (Mr. A. w. Haywood, |
Professor J. c. Horner and Mr.. |
George w. Connor) We're agreed |
that the debaters on that side-(Mr. |
Kerr, of Sampson, and Mr.. Parker, of
HarnetD made the best speeches. |
They decided that Mr.. Kerr (son OF
my old friend ex-State Senator Edwin
w. Kerr of Sampson), was entitled to |
the Bingham medal as the best de- |
batter. He deserved it and the finding |
of the committee was widely approved |
The speech of Mr.. j. A. Parker, of
Harnett fairly bristled with North |
Carolina arguments, drawn from dis |
ordinations and excessive charges
right here at home, and he was fire. !
quently applauded in his happy hits. |
The News and Observer was particu- |
larly delighted with the applause given |
Mr.. Parker for he is the Chapel Hill |