The Debate

The inter-department debate at University Hall last Saturday evening, was admittedly the strongest' held here for a number of years. The question had been so thoroughly studied for weeks, and gone over so often in the preliminary debates, that the peakers came onto the platform full of t he subject, and entered into the contest with evident zest. Ex Senator Thos. W. Palmer presided, and as he always does„ lio put the audience in a pleased and receptive frame of mind from the first. The debate was closely followed throughout by the audience, and the speakers were" warmly applauded. W. M. Chandler was rated very high bythe judges and won first place" and the $50 testimonial with 11 points. J.S. Lathers and T. X. Carmody followed with 26 and 27 points respectively, and took the $30 and $20 testimoniáis. These three men will represent, the University in the contest with Chicago, with C. F. Abbott, who with 31 points marked fourth, as altérnate. The evenness of the debate will be seen from the fact that aside from Mr. Chandler who was ranked very high by the judges, only nine points separated the live contestants. Mr. Chandler's high rank gives the debate to the Laws as a department by 11 points. even though they secure only one representative at Chicago. After the close of the debate Prof. Trueblood announced that the faculty committee had chosen thenegative side of the question for Michigan to debate at Chicago. As the debates here have been won by repre-entatives of both sides. and our final contestants prepared for different sides of thequestion, it will be seen that there is less advantage in that than wauld at first have been supposed. A shori sketch of the men who are to uphold the honor of Michigan against Chica_go, may not be disiuteresting at this time. W. M. Chandler hails from Dallas. Texas. His literMry edueation was gained at Tulane University, New Orleans. where he took high' honors in oratory and was Univer.-ity Medalist. His health failing him, he did not gradúate, but went abroad and spent a year I in sturty at Berlin and Ileidelberg. On his return to this country he studied law for a time at the University of Virginia, entering the senior class here last f all. Mr. Chandler has done a great deal of politica] speaking. and has also attained an enviable reputation on the lecture platform, liis lecture, " Rambles and Reveries in Europe," being received with great favor wherever delivered. J. Stuart Lathers, who took second place, is a Michigan boy. His home is at Inkster. Monroecounty. He is agraduate of the state Normal at Ypsilanti, being a member of the class of '93. He was junior class orator at Normal, and won the oratorical contest in his senior year. Since entering the University he has been actively interested in oratorical matters. He has done considerable political speaking for the prohibition ! party, and in 189(5 won the championship of the Inter-Collegiate Prohibition association, the contest being held in this city. F. X. Carmody, the third member of our team, is also a Michigan boy, his home being at Watervliet, Mich. Mr. Carmody did part of his preparatory work in the Northern Indiana Normal School, at Yalparaiso, Ind., and finished in the Arm Arbor High School, lie has been a member of the Alpha Nu society sinee entering college, and one of its' most active members. He has also taken great interest in the oratorical association, and took the part of Casca in theexcellent presentation of "Julius Ceasar" given bythe Dramatic club last year. He went through the preliminary debates last year, and reached the place of altérnate in the contest with Chicago. His persistenc", is rewarded this year by a place in the regular team.