Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-12-18
LUTHER WINS FROM AUGUSTANA.
Annual intercollegiate Debate Between
Luther College and Augustana College
Won by Home Institution.

oi'oo VI AuSusudud COlleSo OF ROck
Island, ILL.,, met the representatives
of Luther College in the Luther Col
lege auditorium in very interesting
debate. The question was Re
solved, that the interests of the
several states would he best served by
their adopting the optional initiative
and compulsory referendum. The
representatives of Augustana, 9. o.
Bengtson, +. A. Gustafson, and J.
L. Heline, defended the affirmative,
and the representatives of Luther, A.
Erickson, j. o. Enrud, and G.
BJorgo, defended the negative. The
closing speakers were G. o. Bengtson
and j. o. Ensrud. The judges were
DR.. W. f. Wallager of Concordia Col.
lege, st. Paul. Prof. c. E. Seashore
of Iowa University and DR.. r. b.
Kimball of Lombard College, Gales
burg, Ill.
Mr. Bengtson is fine orator but
his arguments were too general and
sometimes prevalent. Mr.. Erickson
spoke logically. but was not free in
his delivery Mr.. Gustafson seemed
to have more definite arguments than
his colleagues. Mr.. Enrud spoke
argumentatively. He might. at times,
have spoken a little louder. Mr..
Heline's lndistinctness, wonderful
rapidity i'll speaking and unusual ges-
lures detracted from the effect of his
arguments. Mr.. Bjorgo's speech was,
we think. the best delivered, his argu-
ments were brought out distinctly and
effectively. In the rebuttal Mr..
Ensrud spoke pleasingly and showed
a great facility for discovering the
weak points in his adversaries' argu-
ments; Mr.. Bengtson. however, was
as before, too general.
The affirmative argued as follows !:
The referendum may be optional or
compulsory. The compulsory form is
preferable. The referendum means
self government. 1t serves the po-
litical interests of the states. 1t
serves best the moral an social in
terests of the states.
The negative argued as folinws
The present system of government is
faulty. The remedy for this defect
is the optional referendum The
optional referendum has all of the adj
vantages but meme of the disadvan-
tages of the compulsory referendum.
The optional referendum is in accord
ance with American governmental
institutions which the compulsory is
not. The optional is less costly and
less cumbersome than the compulsory
The compulsory referendum, although
compulsory in so far as laws must be
laid before the people, does not force
the people to vote; whereas the op-
tional referendum forces the people
tn vote because by it only measure
which interest the people and OF
which the people have knowledge
are laid before them thus the people s
self interest impels them to vote.
Thus the debate resolved itself into
q discussion as to the merits of the
compulsory as opposed to optional
referendum. The affirmative evident
ly expected the negative to support
the present representative system.
and were not prepared for the system
which the negative had evolved
Luther's debaters used a stereopticon
lantern to throw statistics upon a
screen for the purpose of substantial
ing their arguments by figures. This
arrangement proved effective.
The decision of the judges was two
to one in favor of Luther.