Yale Freshmen Won Debate

Princeton, N.J. April 10, 1912.--The Princeton Freshmen were victorious over the Harvard Freshmen in the debate held in Alexander Hall this evening. The visiting team upholding the affirmative contended that the initiative and the referendum would be good in that it would put an end to the inefficiency of the legislatures. The negative argued that the initiative and referendum did not reach the evils of legislation, and that this movement would inevitably lead up to a minority control with its attending evils.

W. Berman '15, First Affirmative.

We wish to bring the people into closer touch with their government. The initiative allows the people to propose any measure which the legislature refuses to pass for them. The referendum allows the people to veto any undesirable legislation. Our legislatures no longer represent the people but the trusts who have obtained great power. The initiative and referendum will put an end to the inefficiency of the legislature. The initiative and referendum are intended to supplement the legislature and not to supplant it. We would urge the adoption of the initiative and referendum even where inefficiency and corruption is not rife, as a potential preventative of any future corruption.

A.W. Walters, First Negative.

The negative side for the Princeton freshmen was opened as follows: the initiative and referendum will not prove effective remedies of the evils in our government. They fail to reach the evils because while the faults of our government are largely within the legislature, the suggested reforms contemplate a remedy which operates outside of the legislature. Then, too, they will introduce new evils in our government. They accomplish this by stripping the legislature of responsibility and authority, and make the representative no longer a man of brains and conscience.

E.R. Roberts '15, Second Affirmative.

The initiative and referendum are correct in theory and also in practice for it has been shown that they have remedied the evil conditions found in legislatures of today. In Oregon, South Dakota, Missouri and other states where they have been adopted they have prevented bad legislation and at the same time insured good laws. A contrast of conditions in these states before and after the adoption of the initiative and referendum shows the great benefit which has resulted in the adoption. The legislative conditions of today are real and serious. The initiative and referendum have a record of proved success, and do remedy these conditions.

J. Mcl. Smith, Second Negative.

The initiative and referendum must in- evitably lead up to minority control with all its attending evils. Through their introduction another efficient instrument is given to the machine and special interests whereby they may strengthen their tyrannical hold. As a result we will have crude, thoughtless and ineffective legislation.

W.A. Cahill '15, Third Affirmative.

If minority votes mean minority rule, we have minority rule under the present system. For only a small minority of the people vote, since women and children are barred. The theory is that those who do vote represent the people as a whole. So it is with the initiative and referendum; those who do vote represent the whole people. The initiative and referendum do not introduce the evil of minority rule. But they do introduce positive benefits. They raise the calibre of the legislators. When corruption is taken away from our legislatures, better men will seek to enter them. Moreover, the initiative and referendum benefit the electorate at large. By them the people are brought in closer contact with their public problems. Thus they learn about their government and are better able to exercise their functions as members of democracy.

J.J. Swofford, Third Negative.

There are certain vital elements in the representative system which cannot be undermined without impairing its delivery. Our constitution is grounded on the belief that representatives should be vested with power to work for the good of the whole people and independent of any passing majority in the electorate. The affirmative proposes to attack both the good and bad in our representative government alike. The negative proposes to keep the one and discard the other by coping with the evils by specific remedies.

Harvard-Princeton Rebuttals.

In rebuttal the affirmative contended that they had a remedy for checking the evils of the present system. The negative opposes the check, but has no method of abolishing present fault. The legislatures are not really deliberative assemblies. They pass upon a great number of measures daily, whereas the people have four months to deliberate upon acts proposed in publicity pamphlets.

The negative in their rebuttals showed how ineffective the initiative and the referendum are in the eight states that have them. In these states they have never been used for reforms. It was pointed out how foolish it was to think of each voter pondering over a ballot of over four feet in length, filled with bills printed in small type and giving each careful thought before casting his ballot