Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-01-13
ALEXANDRIA WINS
FROM HIGH SCHOOL
Decision Of Judges Is Two to
One Last Friday Evening
In Debate.

number of years took place last
Friday evening at the courthouse
when the teams representing the Al
exandria and Willmar high schools,
met.
The question was, Resolved that the
telephone and telegraph lines should
be owned and operated by the govern
ment. The affirmative side of the ar
gument was supported by the Willmar
team, composed of Miss Amy Sever
inson, Walker Kendall and Miss Edna
Johnson. The Alexandria team, up-
holding the negative, was composed of
Miss Anna Olson, Clayton Parks and
Frederick McCrea.
Considering the fact that the men,
bers of the Willmar team have had
practically no experience in debate
work, and that at least two Of the
Alexandria team have debated before,
the result is not disgrace to the
Willmar team. They gave a fine ac-
count of themselves, and the decision
was close. 1t seems that the negative
arguments have been winning in this
question thruout the state Each
member Of both teams spoke clearly,
and there wasn't much leeway in de-
livery. The judges were Supt. Man
deville of Delano, Supt. Gullickson of
Atwater and Attorney Kane of Ben
city acted as chairman, read the rules
governing the contest, and introduced
each speaker.
Miss Amy Severinson opened the
debate, speaking for the affirmative.
She stated that as the United States
government had made great sue
cess of the parcel post, there was no
reason why they could not follow with
the telephone and telegraph lines.
The government would furnish eff
cient service, at reasonable rate and
that is what the people want. The
motives of the private and publicly
owned enterprises differ, the trusts
being after big profits, while the gov
ernment wants fair play.
Miss Anna Olson, opening for the
negative, showed it to be a personal
question, and that the taxes would
have to be much higher for the gov
ernment to maintain the telephone
and telegraph systems. Three main
reasons stand out as to why the gov
ernment should not own and operate
these lines (1) The government fails
at attempting to run commercial en-
terprises, (2) Foreign countries can
not be used as examples, as condi
tions there are vastly different, and
60 Economic conditions here are moi
right for it. The negative would at
tempt to prove that the government
should control and regulate, but not
own and operate the lines.
Walker Kendall continued for the
affirmative and according to his ar
gument, it was to one of two things
either the people and trusts versus
the government, or the people anf
government versus the trusts. ant
surely the latter was better. The
companies were making enormous
profits, despite the fact that the,
claimed to be paying dividends of fivt
per cent. The government woul(
greatly improve the lines and extent
them into all the outlying districts.
Continuing for the negative, Clay
ton Parks cited the fact that the gov
ernment fails at running commercial
enterprises, and there is no workin,
example in this country to compar,
this with. Germany with government
ownership, had deficit of three ant
one-half million dollars in 1913 Il
Manitoba, Can, the government as
sumed the ownership of the telephon
and telegraph lines and promised al
kinds of improvements, among whicl
was a reduction of one-half in rates