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To the Editors of the Crimson:

In view of the joint debates with Yale, Which now promise to be an established feature of the college winter, the need of a really good debating society in the university seems to me to be more apparent than ever. Though the Harvard Union may the best it can, and though there are some undeniably good men in it, it does not satisfy the university at all. To begin with its members are elected on a totally wrong principle. Any man, who speaks twice from the floor, is at once taken into the society. It does not depend on the character of his speeches at all, only on the number. The result is that the Union is composed largely of men who have no real claim to a speaking ability and that consequently membership in the Union is not and can not be thought very highly of. What every man have, no man wants.

Besides this, a number of members apparently go to the meetings as much for parliamentary practice as for speaking. Now as an outside man who has dropped in occasionally to which the meetings I deplore any such state of affairs.

What we want is a society run on such a principle that only good speakers are admitted, - such men as have proved their ability on the stump for political parties, perhaps, or in the courses for speaking in the college, or in the debates. Let the membership be limited to such men only - then membership will be highly prized and in itself an honor. There are a great many men in college, interested in speaking, who are kept away from the Union by its peculiar character. that would stand behind a society of this kind very firmly.

Perhaps this society might hold open meetings every two weeks, with a debate by members, at which candidates for membership could show what ability they had. Why do not the dozen or so men in college who are respected as college men, and recognized as good speakers take the matter in hand? If we are going to win from Yale in future years something like that will have to be done.

'94.