The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-27
DEBATING CONTEST
AT FERGUS FALLS
HOME TEAM WINS PRELIMINARY
FOR TILE JOURNALS CUP.
Ada High School Represented by Three
Clever Young Women, Who Run OPP
ponents to Close Decision Willmar
Wins from Madison in Another Close
Contest.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal
Fergus Falls, Mimi. Jan. 27.-The Fergus
Falls high-school debating team won the cham
pionship of the ninth, congressional district In
this city last night, defeating the Ada high
school team in Of the closest and most
exciting contests ever held for The Minneapolis
Journals cup. The speakers on both sides were
almost uniformly good, and showed real strength
in rebuttal well as In original arguments.
There was no hesitancy. indication of ner-
vousness and not PIGMENTS delay turnout
the contest. -.-..
The debate took place in the new high-school
building, the assembly room Of which is one of
the most commodous audtoriums in this part
of the state. The high school was out in force,
as well large audience of citizens, and all
were enthusiastic. The high-school rooter cap
tains occupied prominent positions about the
room and led the cheering between the addresses.
The whole school Joined in occasional choruses,
which usually ended in the old-time high-school
yells: q. -. A." r:
''Hokey, pokey, roxy. proxy,
We're the people, smooth and foxy,
Always ready, hot or cool,
Fergus Falls high school,"
''Give 'em the az. the az, the ak, "
Where? ~ .r-.-
Right in the neck. the neck, the neck,
The school. the great, enthusiastic Fergus
Falls high school Of 200 students, was in
won, altho the Ada sdebaters made a showing
of which any high-school team might well have
| been proud.
Who Debaters Were. .*
! The Fergus Falls school was represented by
Axel Nelson, Charles Nyberg and William Bell.
| and the Ada school by Miss Minnie Brattland
Miss Verna Ahlerse and Paul Onstad. The
question debated was the state league subject
for the year, Resolved, That all elective state
district county and city officers should be nom
mated by direct primaries held under state
regulation rather than by delegate conventions. .
The affirmative was taken by Fergus Falls ant
| the negative by Ada, and George e. Perley OF
Moorhead, Professor Moll Of the state science
| school at WahDeton and Superintendent Berger
Of the city schools of Staples acted judges
| The Ada debaters argued that in small cities
and in the country districts there was little o.
no corruption under the caucus system, and con
| the primary election system there, while in thu
large municipalities, where corruption existed
primary elections would neither eliminate thu
boss nor alter the conditions; that it was easie
for the corrupt politician to get up brass-bant
| campaign and bring the voters to his supper
| than to control Intelligent delegate conven
| ton, and that the primary system played havoc
with party organization, prevented the candi
dates from setting forth their views in a plat
form of party principles and unjustly dtsfran
! chised many voters by compelling them to de
clare their party affiliations. It was arguet
by the negative that caucuses should be regu
lated and delegates elected under state regula
| ton, by means of the Australian ballot, thu
| throwing the same safeguards around the caucus
| that their opponents wished to throw aroun'
the primaries TIE negative also dwelt on tn
fact that If the people could not name homes
! delegates to conventions they could not nomi
nate honest candidates for office. 80
| The affirmative denied that the primarie
would disrupt parties, and took very little stool
in party platforms by contending that the plain
ordinary people were capable Of nominating can
didates If they were capable Of electing them
The two sides clashed sharply on the question
whether the primary election or the conventio
entailed the most expense, and took direct issu
on several other points.
The decision OF the judges was two to on
in favor Of Fergus Falls