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THE HESPERIAN
KANSAS-NEBRASKA DEBATE.
restriction to resurrect a system rejected after lonz vears of
nanimous Victory for Nebraska. Good Team Work trial and admitted failure. Convincing evidence was produced
Does the Deed. to show that rates wore extortionate and flnnhmhino- fn n nnfn
The fifth annual debating contest between representatives of dgreG ""dor combination of railways than under the present
Kansas and Nebraska Universities was held in Lawrence, law He illustrated the baneful influence of pooling combi-
Kansas, on the evening of May 12. The question: "That the nations in encouraging rate wars, which are now practically
combinations of railways to determine rates are not desirable removed. Then the unfairness of such a privilege being
and should bo prohibited by law," is one of great interest and Sranted to railways which is not given to any other corporations
importance though a most difficult one. waa emphasized.
Nebraska had the affirmative and was championed by F. G. ' J Lano opened for Kansas, and rather objected to the
Hawxby, 0. P. Craft, and 0. S. Wilson, while 0. J. Lane, interpretation of the question given by the affirmative and de
Franklin Baker, and T. M. Brady defended the negative for clared tnat pooling combinations were not involved in this
Kansas. question. Ho maintained that combinations to determine rates
Tho judges, Prof. W. F. Patrick, of Iowa City; Senator are desirable to securo shippers and railway stock-holders
Bolter of Logan, Iowa, and Prof. McAfee of Park College, against the ruinous war of competition between competing
Mo., decided unanimously in favor of Nebraska. roads. He believed that combination of railways would prove
This was ono of tho hardest fought contests Nebraska over t0 be an ecnomic saving as it has been in other industries,
entered. She was opposed by able men who won the three no raWfty8 arG the only organizations which can not charge
highest places in the final contest in Kansas University. Lane what the Please for their slices.
and Brady are senior law studonts of high standing, while
Baker is a junior academic, with special training in elocution
and dramatic impersonation. The Nebraska men consisted of
one freshman and two senior academics. They are all zealous
students who believe that labor conquers all things.
The contest was hold in tho K. U. chapel, known as Fraser
Hall. It is a neat, well shaped auditorium, with good acoustic
properties, and was decorated appropriately for the occasion.
The band commenced playing at 8 o'clock. At a few min
utes before 9 p. in. tho black-board on which Nebraska charts
were hung was carried into the chapel rostrum and placed in
fc the centre of tho stage just in front of the pipe-organ. The o. s. Wilson, s cy., woo. p. o. iuwxur, iras ,'08-w
' Nebraska debaters followed, each carrying an armful of refer- 0. P. Craft, for Nebraska, sustained tho position of tho
onces, and took their seats at tho table an the left Bide of tho affirmative, by quoting from the very same reports used by tho
stage. Tho Kansas speakers followed, taking their places on negative. Ho reviewed with great force and clearness the
the right of tho stage. After music by tho Haskol Indian abuses of railways, possible only under combinations. Ho
band had ceased, the chairman of the evening, Prof. Burdick declared it was "necessary for tho negative to show cause for
of tho Law department, explained tho rules of the dobato, that action in discarding present laws and overruling tho decisions
each speaker was to have fifteen minutes, and each side should of our court." (2) "Tho negative must show that their sys-
havo ton minutes in addition for a rebuttal. Nebraska was torn will eradicate present difficulties without bringing about
warned by a throe minulo boll, and Kansas by a ono minute greater evils." Competition causes rates to fall gradually and
warning. surely in accordance with natural laws, while, as ho illustrated
Tho audionco was requested not to cheer any speaker during by a chart, combination fixes rates arbitrarily for a given time,
his dobato. A few yells and cheers wore given for each side and readjustments are sudden and spasmodic. Parallol roads
by tho jolly Jay-hawkers, then F. G. Hawxby, leader of the wore built with a promise of affording keonor competition, and
affirmative, was introduced and tho contest was on. now the negative would lay the law of competition on tho
Mr. Hawxby briefly outlined tho long contention between shelf,
tho people and railway managers concerning transportation Fraklin Baker, for Kansas, grow eloquent in donying that
rates, then after carefully defining tho question launched into this question applied to pooling combinations. Ho declared
tho argument. Ho showed thut though tho affirmative were that pooling could not bo applied until rates wore first fixod by
not entirely satisfied with tho operations of tho present Inter- agreomont. Unrestricted competition has led to bankrupt
state Oommorco Act, thoy hold that by adding a few needed roads and forced them into recoivorship.
amendments and more strictly enforcing present laws, many Ho maintained that tho whole policy of our industrial sys-
of tho alleged evils complained of concerning railway rates .torn is toward centralization and combination. Differentials,
could bo removed. He decided there is no reasonable grounds ho declared, wore perpetuated by tho prosont system rather
for rejecting our prosont competitive system under national than by combinations.
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