Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 November 1904 — New Use For It. [ARTICLE]

New Use For It.

The regular meeting of the village debating society was In full blast, and the question for discussion was, “Resolved that a monarchy is a stronger form of government than a republic.” One of the speakers on the affirmative side, after an eloquent exordium, proceeded to say: “Now, Mr. President, the gentleman who preceded me has undertaken to show by an appeal to history that monarchies are short lived. He has endeavored to bolster up his side of the argument by giving a list of kingdoms and empires that have risen, flourished a short time and fallen. He fails to mention the fact that most of the strong governments in all ages of the world have been monarchies. He does not give you a list of the republics that have strutted their brief hour upon the stage and disappeared. He contents himself, Mr. President, with generalities. Let us examine both sides of this question and see how easy it is, with the sword of truth, to simply clash that argument into ribbons.” Here he was interrupted by one of the speakers on the negative side of the question: “If the gentleman will pardon me a moment, Mr. President, this is the first time I ever saw the sword of truth used for the purpose of splitting an infinitive.” The general laugh that followed confused and the judges finally decided that the weight of argument was with the negative.