HE'LL NOT DEBATE.

Dr. Shutter Firmly Declines to Consider Mr. Sample's Challenge.

IT WOULDN'T SETTLE ANYTHING

And Mr. Sample Already Has Abundant Opportunity to Reform Things.

No, there will be no public debate between Rev. S. W. Sample of the People's church and Rev. Dr. Marion Shutter of the Church of the Redeemer. For a while this morning there was a prospect of such a meeting. In this week's issue of the People's Paper Mr. Sample replies at length to the statements regarding the administration's Philippine's policy and the Boer-British difficulty made by Dr. Shutter in his Memorial Sunday sermon. Mr. Sample would up with a challenge to Dr. Shutter as follows:

In conclusion, Dr. Shutter, permit me courteously, but most earnestly, to ask you these questions: Are you willing to defend in public and honorable discussion, where both sides can be heard, either the present administration's course in the Phillipines or Great Britain's course in South Africa, or both? Will you meet me, at some suitable time and place, in such a discussion or discussions? Or, if you do not regard myself as a foeman worthy of your steel, will you meet in public debate some one else chosen by the Anti-Imperialist League of this city? In case of your willingness to meet in public debate either myself or some abler representative of anti-imperialson, I have authority for stating that the Minneapolis Anti-Imperialist League will gladly make all needful arrangements for and meet all necessary expenses.

And here is the reply, secured from Dr. Shutter by a representative of The Journal this afternoon.

I have not read Mr. Sample's open letter. I observed that it covered at least two pages of his paper, so I threw it aside. When people write to a man as busy as I am, either open or "closed" letters, if they want immediate answers they must be brief and to the point. Of course this is too much to expect of Brother Sample. I am told that the letter contains a challenge in a joint discussion on the merits of Aguinaldo and his cause, and also on the Boer question. I cannot conceive what good such a discussion would do. The people do not need it for information, and certainly I should not go into it either to gain notoriety for myself or confer it on Brother Sample. The people have access to all the sources of information we have - such as newspapers, books and magazines, and they will make up their minds on the subject without such poor assistance as either Brother Sample or myself can offer. They will make up their minds and Brother Sample will hear what they think of the George Washington of the Phillipines and his cause next November. The Boer business is already practically past the stage of debate. If the people have not read up on these subjects, as I think they have, they have had the inestimable privileges of attending Filipino meetings at the Lyceum and elsewhere and Boer meetings at the exposition and in other parts of the city. At those places Brother Sample has spoken with that wonderful fluidity of speech which one of his ardent admirers has ascribed to him. Then he has a paper, of which he is the sole editor and proprietor, and his Sunday meetings. What more can he want? Be content, my dear brother, with these sources of power and influence and go on converting the community. Some of these days, when I have the leisure, I will read Brother Sample's communication and challenge.