Elements of Debating

Elements of Debating is by Leverett S. Lyon, with the subtitle A Manual for Use in High Schools and Academies. The preface says the book pretends but little to originality in material and aims to offer the old in a form that shall meet the needs of young students who are beginning work in debate. The text says the term "debate", in the sense students of these subjects should use it, means oral argumentation carried on by two opposing teams under certain prescribed regulations, with a decision rendered by judges who are present.

The text quotes Sec. 7 of the Des Moines charter, which says that "All legislative, executive, and judicial functions of the city shall be placed in the hands of the commissioners who shall exercise those functions." The text says the Affirmative are standing for fusion of functions, and not concentration of powers. A brief bibliography lists, among others, articles titled "Relative Sea Strength of the United States" and "For an Adequate Navy in the United States" from Scientific American.