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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 2, 1902)
State University of Iowa Debaters IIM-I "- -- ,aa IIMIIIIIII III 111! K. K. Brown. If. E. Spangler. C. T. IOWA DEBATERS AGAINST WISCONSIN. Kemmerer. OWA CITY, la., Feb. 18. (Special Correspondence of The Bee.) The Interstate debating teams of the University of Iowa have been selected by the elections of the societies following the preliminary debates, and now two very earnest sets of young men are engaged in studying all about two questions that are agitating the public mind. The question which Iowa will debate with Wisconsin at Iowa City, April 26, is: "Is it desirable that our national banking laws fhould be so amended as to permit branch banking?" Iowa affirms this question, while Wisconsin argues against branch banking. The question to be debated by Minnesota and Iowa at Minneapolis, May 9, Is: "Is it desirable that the United States retalu permanent possession of the Philip pines?" Minnesota affirms this question and Iowa denies. The men who will represent Iowa in de bate this year are much younger than have ever borne the standards for the last thirty years. Of the six debaters on the two In terstate debates but one is a senior, whereas the general rule at Iowa is that to seniors alone belong the Interstate de bate honors. The younger students owe their places on the debates to their excep tional ability In rebuttal debating, to thb tendency of the younger students at Iowa to push to the front, which is Just now very marked, and to the possible ebb and flow of undergraduate ability which makes up in a younger class for an older class be ing slightly below the average in debating ability. The Minnesota debaters will be met by H. E. Hadley of Webster City, Ed ward H Brackett of Iowa City for Iowa. The Hawk eye team against Wisconsin is composed of H. E. Spangler of Adair, E. K. Brown of Solon and C. T. Kemmerer of Eldridge. desire to do forensic work. The cause of the expulsion of fraternity men from the Zetagathlan society In early days was their tendency to vote too closely together In the elections. "Socks"' as n Condition Prrrrilfnt, A larger element of the Zetagathlan so ciety than of Irving Institute are said to have been from the farms and poorer homes and less sympathy with fraternity men ex isted in the Zetagathlan society on that account. One of the names that still cling to th-j Zetagathlan society members Is thai of "Sockless Zets." Its origin was some what the same as the history of the adop tion cf "Yankee Doodle" as the American song In the days of the revolution. The Zetagathians were, as a rule, poorer than the Irvlngs and Eome of their members were currently reported to be not so much Inclined to observe all tne usages of po lite society as they were to cheat tne clothier and the washerwoman. The taunt "Sockless Zets" was applied In a scornful speech by an Irving president and taken up at once by the Zetagathians. To this day the feet of all candidates for member ship to the Zetagathlan society are exam ined by a specially appointed committee to ascertain whether the candidates wear socks, and no man has yet been Initiated into the Zetagathlan society who has not been cleared of the odium of belonging to the eock-wear!ng class by the unanimous vote of the Investigating committee. Hon. E. II. McCoy. II. K. Hnd'.ey. M. rritt lirackctt. IOWA DEBATERS AGAINST MINNESOTA. given equal honors to the Zetagathlan so ciety and to Irving institute. This year tho Zetagathlan society won two of the three John N. Baldwin of Council B'.ufTs was abrut Judges' votes in the Minnesota preliminary to Join the Zetagathlan society when at the and Irving institute secured the same de- university, when he heard the rumor that clsion in the Wisconsin preliminary. Last the Zets wore no "socks." Baldwin ln- year the societies were reversed, the Zela- dlgnantly affirmed that he did wear the gathians winning the Wisconsin preliminary articles tabooed and turned aside to the and the Irvings the Minnesota debate. The cr.mp of the Irvlngs. Zetagathlan society formerly won all the . . , , , i, , . . , . , , ,, . Giving the Girls n Chance, preliminary debates and in the fall of tho year the newly elected president is always Each of the men's forensic societies haj installed with copious references and ex- a slater society which shares Its hall, cheers tracts from the history of the society for i debating teams at the regular contests the benefit of the admiring freshmen who and votes for 1U candidates at the class have not decided which society they will elections. In return the men's societies ac tare to Join. The worship of the old de- cord their sister society boundless admlra baters who won glory for their society Is tloa an1 respect and a semi-occasional ban still active with the present Zetagathians uet' eoclable or dance. The sister society and the views of a celebrated debater, ot tne Zetagathians is the Hesperian so though ho has been out of the university clety, while the Erodelphlan society clings for a decade, are atlll accepted as guiding to Irving Institute. The society halls have by the society. Four or five years ago Irv- been the scene of many courtships and each ing Institute stopped the processlcn of vie- society has enshrined in its photograph torUs by winning one of the preliminaries gallery the portraits of members who have and the next year the Irvlngs took both de- ordered their lives as they should order bates. This made both societies work the them bv marrying a fair member of the harder and the more careful in their elec- sister society. Two questions of about the lions of debaters, and the closeness of the Bame trend are in the initiation ritual of debates is regarded by the debating coach tne two men's societies, and professors interested in debating as one "Do yu solemnly promise to admire, re ef the best guarantees of the preservation spect, love and adore the members of the of the excellence of the undergraduate de- Erodelphlan society, individually and col lectively 7 ' asKS'tne Irving cnapiam who is Initiating a candidate. "I do," the candidate must respond. "Do you further announce that it is your present intention and future purpose to follow the noble examples of Smith and Jones and Brown and all that grand galaxy of Irvings who have attained bliss and hap piness by marrying Erodelphlans?" When the candidate has said, "I do," the bating standard. Where (he Interest Centers. Tha debating interests of tbe University of Iowa center around the Zetagathlan and Irving societies. Of these the Zetagathians McCoy, of Dumont and Merrltt arethe oldAast' be' fou,nd(1 before th" tiii woi. miuiig iuh ear ly recurus ui in.1 Zetagathlan society la a note made of a challenge for debate received from the Irv- t .. rrii r i . . ... iuB auuiciy. me .eiagaimans reiusea mis, air is rent with cheers of the orlir mm. .... . but resolved thai thpv wra rpnriv In Aa. w j , i , are students In the college or UDerai arts " uu uuu uee-nawiugB irom an snout of the university. Spangler, Kemmerer and bate at, any t'me with the Women's Debat- the hall and caresses of the goat behind Brackett are members of Irving Institute 'ng Bc'ety. In the early 70s, however, the the candidate bind the mystic compact ot and Hadley. McCoy and Brown belong to Zea8a'hlans consented to debate with men the Initiate. the Zetagathlan society. nnd the university debating system was The Iowa system of debating has been iiuiicu uy mure iuuu mieen generations Local Interest In the Debates. the two societies in the debating is found of students. For thirty years past the The final university debaters owe their n a clause in the Zetagathlan constitution annual debates between the Zetagathlan and elections largely to the outcome of the two prohibiting any of Its members from Joining Irving societies have been held and places preliminary debates between the two so- fraternities or Greek lettet societies and upon these debates accounted one of the iieues ueiuuglug lu iud ucoaviup, n wt,un j . . . - - ... -w - .v h.duluv mwuvib niui i:au i-uiue lo a Senior the university. About these preliminaries, membership in the society. The constitu- after three years of hard preparatory work called for convenience by the name of the tlon of Irving Institute contains a clause on the regular Friday night programs ot university against whom the final debate welcoming to membership all students who the societies and on the class debates, will be held, center all the society Interest ana loyalty. ing Deiore tney occur me i..,.-jtiuu. societies are in a lever heat oi expectation as to their outcome and for a week before their final occurrence the merits of the respective debaters are discussed as gen erally at the students' clubs and boarding houses as are the merits of the 'varsity foot ball players In the fall or of the base ball men In the spring. Enormous quanti ties of pie, the staple boarding house dessert for dinner, change hands on the result ot the debate, the members of the successful society frequently enjoying two or three or four pieces of pie regularly for dinner for the rest of the term, while the members of the losing society read up on the barm that pie does the human system. The Interest of every society member in the final debate Is not the Interest of a partisan of two of his own society debaters whom he desires to see elected to the final debate, as would be the society's privilege if it won the debate. The true forensic society man imagines that the very existence of his society depends on Its winning the two pre liminary debates each year. On this record of victories the society will be able to make the best canvass of freshmen and develop other debaters, who, in turn will bring suc ceeding victories and prestige to the society. While the two societies have held their pre liminary debates for over fifteen student generations without suffering loss of ex istence because of losing a preliminary de bate, the society members feel crestfallen after every loss of decision and at least two days are required to make member of the society which did not win feel the equal of bis fellow man. Itivalry and Its Results. For the last two years the debates have Every member of the forensic societies runs for a debate, class or preparatory, at some time during his college course. All prepare for possible elections by great attention to their appearance on tne Friday evening programs. Rarely does It occur that a debater1 is introduced first to a university debate audience on a preliminary debate. The freshman, sopht mire and junior deba.es provide the first introduction to the business of debating and the aspiring disputant is much trained in his art before he receives the crowning honor of a preliminary elec tion. Only the winning society in a pre liminary can hope to elect more than one debater to the final debate, so it is largely on the result of many chances that more than one of the preliminary speakers on either side can hope to speak on the Inter state stage. When DcbatliiK Hettlim. The first chance a freshman has for a debate is In his class contest. To obtain this the freshman must show up well on the fall term programs of the society. If he does this he will be placed on the fresh man blowout of his society. This affair Is held the night the freshman debaters are elected and the participants In It are the six or eight best freshmen in the society. They choose a question, argue over Judges, fight over positions and sides and have all tho incidental disagreements that the older and bigger debaters have. The two best freshmen speakers on the fresh man blowout program receive the freshman debate election. In the sophomore and Junior years three debaters are elected by each society to the debates of these classes. The preliminary elections are held in the spring of each year, so that the debaters have the long summer vacation to work up their question. The debating arrangement with the Uni versity of Minnesota was made In 1894. Since that time eight debates have been held between Minnesota and Iowa. Of that number Minnesota has won two and Iowa six. In 1896 the first debate between Chi cago and Iowa was held, Iowa winning unanimously. The following year the de bate was held in Chicago and resulted unaimously for Iowa. The contract between Chicago and Iowa had two years yet to run, but Chicago discontinued the debate at that time. The debating agreement with Wis consin was negotiated to take the place of the Chicago debate. The debate held at Iowa City this year is the fourth annual debate with Wiscinisin. Wisconsin has won two of the debates In the punt and Iowa ha won one. R. A. C. Pointed Paragraphs Chicago News: Love one kind of praise and envy is iinothcr. Your life isn't worth living unless you think it is. Self-inspection i said to be a sure cure for self-esteem. Men with narrow views are apt to be broad in thtlr conversation. The average man deceives himself tiftener than he ilix-H others. A woman never feels comfortable unless her shots are uncomfortable. If a man says only whut he thinks he Is not likely to be a greut talker. Many a man giow wealthy by acting con trary to the advice ot the majority. A woman would rather other women would talk disrespectfully about her than ignore her. After a girl who married for money be comes a widow she is very likely to be married for her money. The student who lingers around the foot of his class may eventually become a first class chiropodist. It is not wisdom to tell everything you know, but some people can't avoid it it they till anything ut all. An egotist is a man who insists on tell ing you the things about himself that you want to tell him about yourself. That candidate who places himself in the hands of his friends at the convention is likely to be left on their hands after lh votes have been counted. Raillery I I - -, iy i WEDDING OF THE CHINEE AND THE COON" Pboto by Staff Artist. -AMATEUR MINSTRELS AT METROPOLITAN CLUB-F4ashllght Boston Record: I overheard a live y argument between three collego girls whilj waiting for a car in front of the public library last night. "Which is correct," asked the first, "to say "here she conies' or 'here it comes?' " as the attention cf the trio was directed toward a car approaching In tho distance. " 'Here it comes,' of course," emphatic ally declared one of the group. "No, I think 'here she comes' is prefera ble," quickly retorted the first speaker, still watching the tar. "You are both wrong, you ure oolb wrong," speke up the third. Jumping up and down excitedly; "you should say 'here h) comes.' " This remark so amused the other two that their attention was suddenly diverged from the rapidly nearltig car, as they laughed In feigned derision i.f their com panion's sense of grammar. But the girl, who had tpoken last kept her eyes cn the car, watching It closely as it came more clearly into view. "Girls, I am right." slie slnuted at them so unexpecU dly that (ha two turned to ward the street at once. "See, It Is a mail car," she pointed out triumphantly to the surpri ed ccuple who saw one of the white trolleys com ng down the track; "here he comes." A South African Hpisodc "There are men," says Julian Ralph, "who wax enthusiastic, aud even poetic, when tbey si e .k of war. K; r li s ance, th re was Surgeon Major I. Iridic y, well known as a physician in New York. He once said to me: 'What a delicious affair the battle of Graspan was; it was to lively and so hot In tpots. It was as complete and pretty as a well-cut little gem.' And yet, in that fight Major Dudley was caught in a depression of the veldt, with Boers peppering at him from three sides, and with only one little break in. their lines, through which he had to ride in the full blaze of all their fire. " 'What did you think when you saw the fix you were in?' I asked him. " 'I thought I had better dash ahead and attract the fire, so that my colonel would get nut safely,' was the reply."