Practical Argumentation Part 7

C. England has never suggested annexation.

D. England has shut out the interference of France and other European nations.

E. England has practically ruled Egypt as a dependency.

III. The following facts are agreed upon:--

A. Some nation had to take charge of Egypt, for

1. The country was heavily in debt.

2. The people were starving.

B. It is for the advantage of England to retain control of the country.

IV. The conflicting arguments on the question are as follows:--

A. Those who favor the control of Egypt by England have certain beliefs:--

1. They believe that the control of Egypt by England is the only practical solution of the problem.

2. They believe that the present status of affairs is beneficial to Egypt and to the whole world.

B. Those opposed to the control of Egypt by England maintain the following:--

1. They maintain that England rules in a selfish manner.

2. They maintain that Turkey and not England should have control of Egypt.

V. From this conflict of opinion it appears that the points to be determined are:--

A. Is Egypt benefited by the control of England?

B. Is the suzerainty of England over Egypt the only practical solution of the problem?

C. Is the control of Egypt by England a benefit to the whole world?

VI. The negative will attempt to prove that England should not permanently retain Egypt for the following reasons:

A. English control is harmful to Egypt.

B. English control is not the only solution to the Egyptian problem.

C. English control is harmful to other nations.

SECOND MODEL.

_Resolved_, That the President of the United States should be elected by direct popular vote.

AFFIRMATIVE BRIEF.

INTRODUCTION.

I. The present method of electing the President of the United States has been both praised and condemned ever since the adoption of the Const.i.tution.

A. Two methods of electing the President are under consideration: the present system whereby the President is elected by the electoral college, and the proposed system whereby the President would be elected by a direct popular vote.

II. These two systems may be described as follows:--

A. The present system has the following characteristics:--

1. Each state elects a number of electors equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the state is ent.i.tled in Congress.

2. These electors are chosen as the Legislature of each state may direct.

3. The electors meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for the President.

4. Since the year 1800 the electors have always voted for the candidate nominated by the national party which elected them, though the Const.i.tution does not make this requirement.

5. The ballots are sent in sealed packages to the President of the Senate, who counts them and declares the candidate receiving a majority vote elected.

6. If the electors fail to elect, the House of Representatives chooses a President from the three candidates that receive the greatest number of electoral votes.

B. The proposed system has the following characteristics:--

1. The people vote directly for the President, the candidate receiving a majority of the votes being elected.

2. If there be no majority, the President is elected as under the present system when the electors fail to elect.

III. The real question to be answered is, Should the direct method be subst.i.tuted for the present method?

A. The comparative value of each method must be judged by the following standards:--

1. Which would be the more practicable?

2. Which would give the voter fuller enjoyment of his right of suffrage?

3. Which method would have the better effect upon the general welfare of the nation?

IV. The affirmative will uphold its side of the proposition by establishing the three following facts:--

A. The direct popular vote system would be more practicable.

B. The direct popular vote system would be more democratic.

C. The direct popular vote system would be better for the general welfare of the nation.