The past year may be called a very successful one in the history of debating in the University; the Yale debate was won, and the interclass debates brought out excellent material. The debate with Princeton at Princeton was lost.

The Debate with Princeton.

The first University debate of the year was that with Princeton. The question, submitted by Princeton, was: "Resolved, That the free elective system is the best available plan for the undergraduate course of study. It is understood, that: 1. That free elective system is one based on the principle that each student should select for himself all his studies throughout his college course. 2. The free elective system, thus defined, exists even when a minor part of the studies of the freshman year is prescribed." Harvard chose the negative of this question. The Harvard team, which was finally chosen on February 24, was composed of W. H. Davis '05, B. V. Kanaley 1L. and A. Tulin 2L. The Coolidge prize of $100 for the best work in all three trials was awarded to A. Tulin 2L. The other three speakers in this final trial--W. M. Shohl '06, C. E. Burchenal 3L. and I. I. Mattuck '05--were retained to form a second team, which had frequent debates with the first team. W. M. Shohl '06 was later chosen alternate. R. T. Parke '98, who coached the team, was a member of University teams which defeated both Princeton and Yale. He was assisted in coaching the team by E. M. Rabenold 1L.

The debate was held in Alexander Hall, Princeton, before a large audience, and resulted in a victory for Princeton. The strength of the Princeton team lay in the consistency and flawlessness of its argument due to the care with which it had prepared its speeches. The Harvard speakers on the other hand, attempted a bolder attack, and seemed more mature in their delivery. The fact that the judges were divided in their decision after remaining out about half an hour shows that Princeton did not have an easy victory.

The judges were Rev. Anson Phelps Stokes, Jr., secretary of Yale University; Professor James Edwin Creighton, Ph.D., of Cornell; and Rev. W. R. Richards of New York. Dr. John Huston Finley, president of the College of the City of New York, presided.

The Debate with Yale.

The question for the Yale debate was submitted by Harvard and read as follows: "Resolved, That a commission be given power to fix railroad rates." Yale chose to defend the negative. The Harvard team was composed of A. C. Blagden '06, M. Kabatchnick '06 and A. M. Newald '06. In the final trials for the team, on April 5, a second team, composed of A. W. Blackwood '05, G. Clark 2L. and G. W. Putnam 2G. was selected to have practice debates with the first team. M. Kabatchnick '06 was awarded the Coolidge prize of $100 for the best work done in all three trials for the Yale debate. A. W. Blackwood '05 was the alternate. The team was coached by A. A. Ballantine 1L., who has been active in debating interests since his Freshman year.

The debate was held in Sanders Theatre on May 5. The University team won by analyzing the question clearly, selecting three cardinal points and working them into a solid argument for its position. The Yale team, instead of seizing on a few cardinal points, made a number of somewhat scattering arguments, no one of which was really driven home. In delivery, the Harvard speakers were more straightforward, earnest and convincing. Their precise line of argument was not met by the Yale men, who, although more mature and finished in their speaking were interior to the Harvard team in intensity and drive.

Professor W. Z. Ripley was the presiding officer, and the judges were Professor J. W. Jenks of Cornell, Hon. A. L. Brown, judge of the United States District Court and Hon. Edgar Aldrich, judge of the United States District Court of Appeals. They were out less than ten minutes and gave a unanimous decision.

The Interclass Debates.

The Class debates were very potent factors in arousing the general interest in debating which was in part, responsible for the victory over Yale.

The first preliminary debate of the series between the Sophomores and the Freshmen, was held on December 16 and was won by the Sophomores, who defended the negative of the question: "Resolved, That the army canteen should be re-established." The Sophomore team was composed of G. J. Hirsch, M. C. Leckner and S. F. Peavy; the Freshman team of D. Rosenblum, P. L. Butler and E. R. Lewis. There was little choice in the value of the evidence produced by both sides, but the Sophomore speakers, partly through greater experience, excelled in the matter of form as well as in the presentation of a more unified case.

The debate between the Seniors and Juniors, held on December 19, was won by the Juniors through their better from and more positive line of argument. The question, of which the Juniors defended the negative, read: "Resolved, That it should be the policy of the United States not to hold territory permanently unless with the purpose that it shall ultimately enjoy statehood." The Junior team was composed of M. Kabatchnick, H. A. Nye and A. N. Holcombe; the Senior team of W. H. Davis, W. O. Hubbard and W. Tyng.

The final debate of the interclass series, between the Juniors and Sophomores, was held March 31. The question, submitted by the French department in accordance with the terms of the Pasteur Medal, was: "Resolved, That the president of the French Republic should be elected by popular vote." The Junior speakers, who supported the affirmative, were J. W. Plaisted, A. N. Holcombe and A. Harley. The Sophomore team was composed of W. H. Keeling, S. F. Peavey and M. C. Leckner. Both teams used too many quotations, but the Juniors were slightly superior in general delivery and fluency. S. F. Peavey was unanimously awarded the Pasteur Medal.

In January the first number of "Both-sides," a monthly debating magazine, was published by the University Debating Council. Its issues have contained briefs, accounts and criticisms of important college debates, with now and then a leading article on some subject connected with debating.

Owing partly to the withdrawal of the sum of $250, which had been given annually for several years by a graduate, the University debating council completes the year about $300 in debt. A committee composed of A. A. Ballantine 1L., A. C. Blagden '06 and M. C. Leckner '07 was appointed to arrange for the payment of this debt and a part of the money has already been subscribed. The committee has planned to make the expenses of conducting debates less next year.