East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-04-29

Set speeches 10 Now Tositio-DS-
cision Gives PcndletOn Champion
ship of Eastern Oregon-Hood Riv-
CT Will Be Next.
Although handicapped by depend
ing the side of the question admitted
to be the weakest, Pendleton high
school last night won the interscholas-
tic championship of eastern Oregon
by a two to one decision over the Ba-
ker high school team and one more
triumph has been added to the long
list of forensic victories which the
local school has won in the past
three years The contest last night
was hard fought from beginning to
end and, as attested by the votes Of
the judges, the vitcors had but
slight margin.
The question debated was, "Resolv-
ed, That further material increases In
the United States navy are desirable"
Of which question Pendleton had the
negative and Baker the affirmative.
In the Interpretation placed upon the
question by the negative. the visitors
were clearly outwitted and 1t was this
feat Of generalship that decided the
victory. Pendleton hinged her argu-
ment upon the word further" con-
tending that the affirmative must
prove that increases beyond those al
reay provided by the present naval
program are desirable else the word
further" would be superfluous in the
statement of the question.
Baker Outwitta1.
Clearly surprised by this move, the
visitors were at loss how to meet
II, and finally decided upon ignor-
ing it altogether, directing their guns
at other points. Duck to see their
advantage, the locals hammered away
at the weak spot which they had
found and this policy soon told.
Baker lost much ground by hold
ing to their set speeches instead Of
adjusting them to the position of
their opponents. Frequently they re-
ferred to arguments accredited to
their opponents which their opponents
had not made. but of which, on the
contrary, they had denied their advo-
cacy. The visitors plainly were pre-
pared for defense built up about in
ternatinal arbitration and disarma-
ment but the negative avoided any
such stand and, consequently, much
of the affirmative's argument went
for naught. Some of their points
were, however, strong and so insist
emily did they urge these that many
In the audience at times almost lost
sight of their failure to meet the main
attack of the Pendleton debaters.
Affirmative Opens.
E. b. Aldrich presided at the de-
bate and, after a short word of ex-
PLANTATION, introduced the first speak
er for the affirmative, Leland Finch.
The Baker leader, anticipating that
the defense might center their at
tack upon the word material" care
fully defined that word and then pro-
ceeded to show why material in
crease in the U. S. navy is desirable,
pointing out how small and weak
this country is on the water COM
pared with other world powers.
James Hartwell, leader Of the neg
ative, exploded bomb in the camp
OF the visitors when he outlined the
argument Of his side, pointing out
that the burden OF proof was with
the affirmative and that II devolved
upon them to prove that increases be-
yond those already provided by the
government are desirable. He then
gave figures to show that the u. s.
navy is inferior at the present time
only to one other nation in size and
to none in efficiency. He insisted also
that further increases than those now
provided for would impose an exces-
sive burden upon the taxpayers.
James Donald, first colleague on
the affirmative continued the argu-
ments of his leader urging that an
increased navy is necessary for the
protection Of trade and Of the vulner-
able points on the coast. He insisted
that it was a hazardous policy to urge
disarmament and that, If the navy
was left in the present stage of de-
velopment, it would soon be obsolete
and ineffective.
The Present Program.
Claude Hampton responded for the
home team, prefacing his speech with
denials that the affirmative was ad-
vocating disarmament or the leaving
of the navy in its present condition
He went on to show that congress
had already provided for annual in
creases in the navy to the extent Of
s131, 100000. which would mean two
new battleships with their auxillarie!
each year. He then pointed out tina
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