The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-06-23
Our "Western Way"

Our "Western Way"
The Eastern papers are solemnly lee
turing US fellows "out West" on the i'm
propriety OF what they call our "West-
ern ways" in writing for the newspa-
pers. They say that Western editors
are corrupting the English language by
their ''grotesqueness and copious fuen-
cy" of style. Those Eastern critics OF
"Western ways" call it ''maltreating
ourmother tongue" Now, nobody likes
to be accused of maltreating his mother.
But when 1t comes to be considered that
this "grotesqueness and copious fuen-
cy," that our Eastern critics complain OF,
rather pleases our mother, makes her
laugh indeed, the maltreatment can no t
be very serious affair after all. Our
venerable maternal speech evidently
likes it that her offspring are little bit
frolicsome and original. Solemnities are
certainly well enough atfunerals, prayer
meetings, and sich; but tout West' we
don't always 60 in mourning. That May
do for Eastern writer's, but "not for
Joe." There, we have sinned again;
sinned against our critics and in their
sight, to whom slang phrase is an
abomination.
The N. 7. Times solemnizes its lugu-
brious visage before what it calls s'these
Western innovators," and with it's bell,
book and candle sanctimoniously anathe-
matzes "the slang which threatens to
debase and utterly corrupt the Ian
guage." Now, we concur in this; and
would say "buly for the 7imeSp There
1t is again, another "innovation." Once
more we have sinned. But how could
we better endorse the Itmesq Moreover,
these Eastern linguists are becoming
fearful of contagion; for the Times says:
"From the Allegheny Mountains to the
Pacific there is shifting tide Of slang,
varying annually, and occasionally
washing over into the more conservative
regions OF the Eastern States"
Now, In all friendship we would ad-
vice the Times to ''dry up" 'spull down
its vest" and "wipe of its CHM" and
not get cup on its ear" There
we 60 again. Peceaoii But then it is
our "Western way" and how can we
helpit. In view OF this "shifting tide OF
slang" we ineontinently ''slop over"
THAT phrase we will not apologize for,
we borrowed it from New York and
Brooklyn.l
The Times grimiy admits that this
"W Western way" is exceedingly divert.
ing, and makes the Eastern critics laugh,
even while they condemn, saying:
"There is about it fascination which
holds the attention Of the unaceustomed
reader, very much as dancing bear
will amuse a man who knows that he
ought not to be amused"
Wonder it the Tines smother knows
It's out" (There! more SHINING again. }
But then what business has the solemn
Times to be amused when it "knows
that it ought not to be amused?" The
Yproprieties forbid such levity in news
paper. Newspapers ought always to be
sad, sanctimonious and solemn, like the
Times, forever sitting astride of the
'ragged edge of despair" No penance
Tor that,-it came from New York.
They ought to be constantly signing
over ''the true inwardness OF rotten.
ness" No godly sorrow for that sin
sither,-it originated in Brooklyn.]
1t is in political writings that our
Eastern critics are most condemnatory
Of our "Western way" They cite, as
maltreatment Of our mother tongue, such
phrases as these: A certain judge was
described. as "being beautifully encased
In faded alpaca suit" That is one.
Another is-a certain Democrat was
spoken of as being "caught in the very
act Of breaking into the Republican
party" Furthermore, that-"Any man
giving such evidence Of deceney could
no longer be q Democrat And still
smother is, that a certain corpulent can.
Mdate was actually spoken OF as
"oleaginous." But what most OF ali
borrified our Eastern solemnities was
the Western newspaper statement that
Reertain delegation "will start for home
With their chins dragging on the
ground" Az this "euphuism for long
faces" (thats the way Eastern writers
phrase it) they held up their hands like
monkeys with the colo, and rolled up
their eyes, '.like duck in thunder.n
There we go again, in our usual "West-
efn way" Can't help it. But we GER
tainly are amused at these nambypamby-
isms ("how's that for highp) OF the N |
I. Times, even when we know that we |
sought not to be amused;" for with the |
Times this "Westcrn way" is seriously
solemn affair; the more SO as it threatens
to"wash over into the more conserya i've
regions Of the Eastern states.o How
sad 1t would be, should some OF the vigor
and vivacity OF Western speech break