Evening star., 1909-05-09
CENTRAL HIGH VICTOR
Wins Debating Championship
From Eastern.
BIG QUESTION is SETTLED
Decided That the Initiative and Ref
erendum Will Not Do.
FAVORITES ARE APPLAUDED
Large Audience Entertained by Ar
guments of Earnest Young Speak
ers on Both Sides.
FAVORITEs ARE APPLAUDED

Central High School won a debate from
Eastern last night and captured the de-
batting championship Both teams stood
even up 10 the decision. The debate was
held in the Mckinley Manual Training
School assembly hall.
The question which the young men and
women argued was one which is vexing
much older heads than theirs, and is none
other than the old friend: Resolved,
that a system of initiative and referen-
dunn should be established in the states
of the Union" Eastern took the affirma-
tive and Central the negative. After a
lively discussion, in which ream after
ream of printed authorities had been
flashed upon the judges. the latter sent
up their decision in sealed envelopes and
two of them were SO impressed by Cen
trails arguments that the Dark Blue and
White won.
bates and other debates is that the hiS.i
school people get into the argument tooth
and nail, and the audience comes right
along after them. The debate last night
was full of snap, there was not dry
moment. and every time an orator would
throw his proof into the faces of the OPP
ponents his hackers hesitated at nothing
in the way of loud applause The larger
part of the audience was made up OF
high school girls, strong partisans and
interested listeners. In addition to being
just listeners they all wore the stun
ningest hats imaginable. and scarcely
any Of them took hat off.
Lively From the Start.
The debate was opened by George Man.
ming, 1910, Eastern. He wasted no time
on flights of oratory, but jumped head
fnr nct into CO. nf h6f0rp
him, with a large book under each arm.
THE American Commonwealth" 1T was,
volume referred to by nearly every one
of the speakers to prove all sorts OF con-
fiicting points. Mr.. Manning was follow
ed by J. ". Follin. senior from Central,
and when he took his seat the applause
was deafening. and honors seemed even:
r. Edward Royal, Eastern TO- carelui
and forceful speaker, declaimed for the
affirmative next, and made a hit with
his friends from Capitol Hill. l.. n. VIII
son, Central senior, started to talk
right square from the shoulder before the
greeting applause had started to die
down. He had a lot of evidence to prove
his point, in the shape of printed docu-
ments from Oregon. He had interviewed
representatives and had written letters to
ali points of the globe to prove that the
initiative and referendum is undesirable.
Eleanor Farmer, Eastern. IL. the only
young woman speaking, although Eastern
has another on the team, gave splendid
account of herself while arguing with the
sterner sex She had her authorities In
her head and did not refer to The Amer
lean Commonwealth" to any noticeable
extent. NJ A. Kaufman, Central, 10. had
the honor to close his side with seven
teen-minute speech. He has a fund of
humor which helped a lot and also has
a library full of authorities.
In refutation, Mr.. Manning spoke for
Central, being limited to five minutes
The authorities had bothered him. prob
ably. because he walked over to his op-
ponents table and throwing down large
document declared: