Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 April 1915 — ALBERT GAVIT WON ORATORICAL CONTEST [ARTICLE]

ALBERT GAVIT WON ORATORICAL CONTEST

Whiting Yonng Man Will Represent Tenth District in State Meet— All Speeches Good. The tenth district oratorical contest held in Rensselaer Friday evening was not so Well attended as it deserved, but those who were there were amply repaid for going, for the five high school pupils who spoke on reforms in county government, presented many ideas that are worthy the consideration of older people and it was remarked at the conclusion of the program that many persons who have been blindly voting for many years have never given the consideration to the questions that these young people have. The contest was won by Albert Gavit, of the Whiting high school, who represented Lake county. Close to him in the grading of the judges was Howard Grady, of Lafayette, representing Tippecanoe county. The other contestants were Paul Worland, of this city, Miss Faye Bending of Monticello and Hallie Jones, of Williamsport

Each speaker presented ideas' of reform that possess much merit and each showed a great amount of careful study and preparation. Paul Worland, our local representative, had greatly improved his speech over its original presentation and he was applauded very heartily. He argued dfchat there is a laxity of law enforcecent that makes inefficiency possible. He said that good fellows and good campaigners who are strong for getting votes are frequently very inefficient and he believed in requiring candidates to take examinations for the offices they seek before they are allowed to run for office. He believed in lengthening all trms of office to 6 years and limiting them to a single term, in order that office holders do not use their offices as a means of campaigning. ( He believed that all supplies for the offices should be purchased in carload lots by a state board, thus creating a large saving. Howard Grady, the Lafayette young man, stated that of all government local government was the most important and the least considered. He advocated the elimination of politics in all county elections. He favored the election of a board of five commis-* sioners, chosen as citizens, not politicians, and that this board shall appoint all other officers except the judicial ones, who shall be chosen fro mfche state. He said this will substitute good business for bad politics and create the' reforms so necessary in securing greater administrative and economic efficiency. Albert Gavit, the winner, said that we must incorporate honesty and efficiency into our county government and that this could be done by providing for the recall of derelict officials. He said that we must not get away from the present plan of electing our officers by direct vote and spoke of the recent law that provided for the election of United States senators by direct vote and that this had come about as a result of long effort. He declared that any act that took this right from the people was b step in the wrong direction. He declared that a provision for the ousting of unfaithful officials was the most needed reform. He supported his argument in favor of direct election by saying that the war in Europe is the ambitious crime of non-election rul-

ers. In the opinion of the audience the decision lay between Grady and Gavit and the judges found it difficult to determine yririch was best, but the percentages favored Gavit slightly. His rebuttal speech was somewhat the best. The judges were Attorney L. D. Boyd, of Delphi, County Superintendent H>. L. Robers, of Winamac, and Prof. R. M. Tryon, of the University of Chicago. Mr. Rogers was accompanied here from Winamac by Editors Foster Riddick and E. C. Gorrell, the former of the Republican and the latter of the Republican. Also by W. E. Munchenburg, county auditor. . Young Mr. Gavit is to represent the tenth district at the state oratorical contest to be held at Bk>omngton in May. The contest is held under the auspices of the extension department of the state university.