Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1907-02-15
Grants Pass Wins the Debate.

tion for debate was, Resolved
THAT the Fifteenth Amendment to
the Constitution should be repealed. "
The Roseburg team upeld the affirma-
tive while our team supported the
negative. The contest proved to be
one of great interest and the audience
listened with the best of attention
and courtesy to our team as well as to
the home team. The Roseburg team
consisted of two girls, Bessie Clough.
Grace Sober, and one boy, Will
Thornton. Our team was composed
of three boys, Herbart Gilkey. Harold
o. Neill and Randall Hood.
Each speaker was allowed 12
minutes for argument and one from
each team was given eight minutes
for rebuttal, Grace Sober was given
rebuttal for Roseburg and Herbert
Gilkey for Grants Pass
The first speaker on the affirmative
outlined the question and presented a
few arguments in support of the re-
pealing of the Amendment Herbert
Gilkey spoke first on the negative
and refuted tine arguments of his
apponent SO oonclusively that he
left no obstruction in his way to go
ahead with arguments ON his own
side Of the question. He proved that
/ the principles involved in the amend.
mvnt are sound. The second speaker
for Roseburg dealt ON the crime
and illiteracy Of the Negro and pres
ented many strong points in favor Of
the affirmative. Harold ONeill
followed, showing that the amend.
ment has been of practical benefit to
both races in which he dealt with
the reduction of crime and the educa-
tional advancement Of the Negro
race.
The third speaker ON the affirmative
showed that a repeal of the amend
hohe Wouiu pihhs sooa ioeuies' ihip
was a strong speech in favor Of the
affirmative. THE third speaker on
the negative, Randall Hood, showed
in ,forcible and convincing way
that repeal of the amendment would
bring bad results. He also showed
that repeal of the amendment would
not even be a step toward the solution
ofthe Negro problem, bat would AXE
maters worse than they are at present.
Next came the two rebuttal speeches
when interest and excitement were
at their highest pitch. AS the order of
rebuttal was negative, Affirmative
Herbert Gilkey made the negative
rebuttal first He took up con-
secutively the important points brougt
out by the other side and gave detfi-
mite reasons why they were not sound
Miss Sober of Roseburg closed the de-
bate. She spent a few minutes in
answering few important points and
closed by summing up the arguments
advnced by the affirmative and appeal
ing to the judges for the decision.
Immediately after the debate was
over the judges A. L Briggs, presi-
dent of Drain Normal school, Prof.
A. r. Swetser, of the State University,
and G. L. Strange, superintendent of the
Cottage Grove schools gave their
luminous decision in favor of the
Grants Pass team. Roseburgs team
put up good debate but they at
tempted too much. The team work
was also bad as each speaker con
tinually overlapped the arguments Of
his colleagues. AS for our team, the
boys did good team work and were
also strong in rebuttal.
After the contest reception, in
honor of the debsters was given by
the Rosebnrg students in the high
school building. They certainly did
their best TO entertain us and make us
enjoy ourselves. We shall not fail to
return the courtesy when they visit
Us next year.
This is the first debate we have had
with any other high school and We
hope that our success will continue al
it has so well begun.
By the winning Of this debate means
that we must compete for the cham.
pionship of the Western Oregon Debat.
ing League with Salem High School,
the winner Of the Albany Salem de.
bate as these two chools are also in
the league. The debate with Salem
will be held in Grants Pass March 90.
The question is, Resolved: That
the railways OF the United States
should be owned and operted By tbe
government. Our team will supper
the negative.
AS Salem is our Capital city and has
one Of the largest and best High
Schools in the state it would mean