The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-03-18
DEBATE WENT TO MITCHELL
Dakota Wesleyan Girls Won the Con-
test in the Debate With the Hur-
OH College Girls.


and fast at the debate Tuesday even
ing in the city hall when six young
women met on the platform to de-
bate the questions: Resolved, That
South Dakota should adopt the COM
mission plan of government for the
regulation of the public service cor
porations, such plan to embody the
principles of the New York and Wis
consin public untility laws"
The affirmative was represented
by Misses Elsie Davy. Judith Grego-
Wesleyan University. The three sis
tiers, Misses Nellie, May and Gladys
Pyle, represented Huron college and
had the negative side of the ques-
ton. The judges were G. f. Stason,
of Sioux City, Frank Turner, of
Faulkton, and E. G. Ericsson. of Elk
! Point.
Huron sent over a delegation of
1870 students, including their band,
and they We're apportioned II place
in the city hall. The local Univer-
sity students were scattered about,
and the University band was up in
the gallery. Both bands entertained
the audience until the hour for
starting the debate arrived. College
colors we're in great evidence, and
were twined around posts and drap-
ed in profusion wherever it was
possible. When the debaters ap-
peared in the hall each side tried to
Guido the other In welcoming the
champions of the platform.
1t was $3.50 O'Clock when Mayor
Hitchcock appeared on the platform
as the presiding officer of the even
ing. He read a long compact made
between the two colleges, establish
ing the basis on which the debates
should be conducted.
Elsie Davy was the first speaker
and opened for the Affirmative, who
presented the constructive argument
for the Wesleyan debaters. She held
for the commission plan as n in
which questions could be settled for
the people without resorting to the
courts, thus making a long delay;
that more intelligent action could
be secured; that the present railroad
commission in this state has nc
>~r,o - do o,1,tbip n orI uyo mora
ly advisory; that it would prevent
the watering of stock and aid ma
terially in securing the physical val
uation of railroads and other cor
porations so that a just basis
should be reached on which to
determine rates.
Gladys Pyle opened for the mega
tive and Immediately set forth some
of the things which the affirmative
must prove for their side of the
question, and that the demands in
South Dakota were not in harmony
with the situation either in Wiscon-
sin or New York. She asserted hat
IL COllllllSSlOH pan MOulu
home rule in the operation of muni-
cipal plants either in water works,
telephone or electric lights, and that
it took away the power from the
city council and vested the same
authority in three persons whose in
terest in the development of a town
-,a,11 ,o{,ro11v 1o 1ir,ifn1 She
held that to permit the municipal
plants to be thus controlled would
be a menace to the rights of the peo-
ple in this state as will be the case
in Wisconsin and New York in the
years to come.
Judith Gregoson for the afirma-
tive set forth the great need for con
trolling the railroads, the express
companies, and other public corpor-
ations, and did not consider that
municipal plants would be injured
i the least by such control. Rail-
roads. she declared, were oppressive
in rates and furnished not the &C
lldl Vic DuDllC ID Sl
titled to. The present commission
of this state had no power to put
into execution it's decisions, but the
recent Legislature had extended its
powers to a certain extent and this
she held was leading up to the full
fllment of the affirmative side OF
the question She gave instances OF
tho present situation with reference
to the recon passenger rates witch
arc now in the courts for adiudica-
tion. where wi h the commission the
matter could be settled without the
delay.
Nellie Pyle. the second speaker for
the negative. showed that the condi-
tions in the states of New York and
Wisconsin We're such that their NUM-
cipa1 n'ants shou1d of a necessity be
placed under the control of a com
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