Perth Amboy evening news., 1909-05-01
CANAL DEBATE
WELL ARGUED
Lincoln Society Members
Won Annual Contest at
High School Last Night.
in FAVOR OF PROJECT

The annual debate, between the two
literary societies of the high school, was
won by the Lincoln Society in the high
school auditorium last night. Prof.
John A. Hitzelberg presided over the
meeting and made an address to the
large audience before the program
started.
The opening number was a selection
by the high school orchestra. Then fol-
lowed the debate on the subject, Re-
solved: That the construction OF the
! Panama Canal by the United States
never has been or never viii be justi-
fed by either the political or economic
prosperity of the United States or Of
the world in general.
Those representing the Franklin So
ciety, and denfending the affirmative
side, were John F. Rielley, JT., captain;
Robert Hand and Melvin Wilding
Those Of the Lincoln Society, uphold
ing the negative side, were Hallam
Skee9, captain; Miss Julia Margaret
item, and Miss Cornelia L 'IEommedieu,
and Harry Medinctz substitute.
The debate was followed by piano
solo by Mathew Urbanski, and selec-
tion by the orchestra.
| The judges of the debate were Judge
Adrian Lyon, Henry Mccullough and
Leroy Fl. Minton. The prizes were
awarded by Judge Lyon. They were
as follows. A banner for the winning
society, to the Lincolns; medal, for best
speaker, to Miss Cornelia L'Homme
dieu; medal, for second best speaker,
Robert Hand All Of the speakers are
worthy of much praise. The debate was
very close and, as Judge Lyon said, it
was not until after long consideration
! that the winners were decided on.
The Points Pro and Con.
The following excellent arguments
were put up by both sides:
Afirmative-that the canal will be
free from all winds and therefore sail
ing vessels, which are in the great ma
jority, will have to be towed; that the
zone in which the canal Is situated is
very unhealthy and many Of the work
eTs viii die; that there are no coaling
stations, because of the swamps along
the canal and, therefore, ships would
rather 60 round the Horn; that the
canal has already been, and will con
tinue to be, draining expense to the
United States; that, If the canal is built,
the railroad will stop running and it
will take passengers twice as long to
cross the isthmus; that, in case of war,
the finances of the country would be
exhausted and the canal would fall IN
To foreign hands, that, when it is built,
foreign warships win be able to reach
our largest cities of the Atlantic coast
without hindrance from our battleships,
since the United States will not be al
lowed to fortify the canal in any way;
that it has cost millions of dollars more
already than was at first expected; and
that it will never pay for the running
expenses as the heavy toll will keep
many ships from going through it; that
experts say that it viii never be com
pleted; that the most important part of
the canal, the Gstum dam, is situated
in region of clay and sand; and that
the canal, being built for the purpose
of giving United States battleships
quick route to the Pacific coast in case
of war, would put the United States in
bad light as she has the reputation Of
being the leading peace country of the
world.
(Cnnttnuad OD napa 4 /