Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-03-18
LOCAL DEBATERs
WON IN BATTLE
O. H. s. ORATORS ExCELLED THE
MoULToN STUDENTS IN DE.
BATE LAST NIGHT.
ARE NOW CHAMPIONS
Victory by Ottumwa Team Brings
Title Of Southeastern District OF
Iowa to This City-Decision d.
Was Two to One.

In what proved to be the best debate
that has been put on by the high
school debating team this year Moul-
ton bowed to defeat last night TO the
Ottumwa debaters at the high school.
The question discussed was, ResolV.
ed that the United States shoulu
| adopt a policy of shipping subsidies.
Although the question was debated
upon short time ago here with the
Iowa City debating team. the debate
did not lack in interest as the Ottum-
wa men have worked lard for their
material and the result was comDin-
alton of argument that the crack
Moulton team could not equal. Ottum-
wa had the debate we'll planned as
shown from the way the presentation
speeches were carefully interviewer.
The decision of the judges was two
to one in favor Of the home students.
John K. Mahon was chairman of the
evening. The judges were President
d. M. Edwards of Penn college, Oska-
loosa: Prof. P. C. Hildreth Of Parsons
college, Fairfield, and E.. A. LATTER
bach of Iowa Wesleyan college, Mt
Pleasant:
The Affirmative Side.
Warren Gardner was the first speak
er for the affirmative side, which was
defended by Ottumwa. His speech
took up the need of merchant ma
rine for the United States. The at
firmative was continued by Charles
Smi,.., whose main point was the lack
of direct routes for American shippers
to youth American ports. He showed
that an American shipper, if he wishes
to send his goods to the South Ameri-
can countries, must first send them to
a European port where they are re-
loaded on European vessels and then
taken to South America. Consequent
~ the South American trade goes to
the European manufacturers instead OF
the American because the time for
delivery Is much shorter and the price
of shipping is much lower. Although
the United States is eight thousand
miles closer the time for delivery Is
longer and the expense much higher.
This is due to the United States ship
owners not being able under the pres
ent plan to compete with the strong
companies of Europe. The third speak
er for the affirmative side, Cecil Cor
rick showed plainly that to build up
a large merchant marine and to estab-
lish direct routes the government.
must grant shipping subsidies. He
also proved that the present condition
in which the American shippers are
would prove disastrous if war
should break out in Europe between
any of the great powers. The Ameri-
can trade would then be ruined be-
cause the United States ports would
L1y &ho 1oo If
vessels.
The Negative Argument.
The negative side of the argument
was started by MILFORD Smith. He
first took up the history of the sub
sides and pointed out how it had first
been started in the countries that now
control the worlds commerce and had
been abandoned in a short time be.
cause of the graft that resulted, togeth-
er with the large grants that were
forced to be given. To refute the need
of a large merchant marine In time
of war he said that this was an age
of peace and that if war should come
between the United States and some
strong country the average merchant
man who makes only seventeen knots
an hour would be a drawback instead
of help. The argument put up that
all american subsidized ships must be
made of material grown or manufac-
tured in this country was quickly re-
suted by the affirmative who stated
that this part of the law had been re-
pealed by congress in August, 1912.
The negative was continued by Miss
Esther Printz and Miss Ruth Luman
who both took up the advantage to the
American shippers that would result
from the Panama canal. They also
stat that the merchant marine of
the United States was not decreasing
from lack of subsidized lines but that
it had never regained what it had lost
when the merchant marine and ships
were destroyed in the civil war. This
resulted in the loss of confidence in
American ships and the commerce was
entrusted in the hands of European
shippers who have continued to have
it during all Of these years.
Taken from an oratorical standpoint
the debate was exceptionally good. |
The Moulton debaters far excelled the
Ottumwans in this line All of the Wis
part of their work to perfection but
tuey ldCheu tle HeCesSd11 diSuLueHlo.
The rebuttal of the Ottumwa team
was unusually good and the decision of
the judges was largely due to this.
The victory gives the Ottumwa high
school the undisputed championship of
southeastern Iowa in the Iowa high
school debating league.
Schauturnen April and q.
Davenport, March 15.-The annual
Schauturnen of the Davenport Turn
gemeinde will be held April and
at the Turner grand ODera house Asl