Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-08-04
DAILY POST IBfELLlGEBCgR,
ANAL DusCussuos.

sssumlnc, his right hand is not kept in
formed of his left hands doings; bot ne
i more truly and thoroughly humani-
tartan than thousands who make greater
urefansiops to the name"
al thought he vas q Presbyterian,
replied Tom.
Tom u sometimes exasperstin2, rather
DISPOSED 70 criticise, and not greatly
aiyou 70 enthusiasm over the perfecs'ons
o. man or woman. have little weak
nses In that direction, and am like every
one With q specially weak point, very
sensitive thereupon.
"Seems to me your remark ID rstner
more irrelevant than your remarks usu-
ally are. believe be 10 Presbyterian,
nj iust what that has to do with what
I nd I fail to zee. / pfesume you are
not disposed 70 dispute the exceilencs OF
many who are"
d Not at all; only you said he was
humanitarian, and always supposed he
vaa strictly orthodox
"Tom," I mid. 81 arm patient and
iouc-suderine, owing TO long acQuaint-
auce and companionship With you; bat
confess that you are growing intoiera-
BILE. will you tell me just what there 10
TO prevent this gentleman from being q
humspitsrian and orthodox at the same
timer
"Win yos be 90 kind AZ 10 tell me the
meaning of the term humanitarian /"
Certainly; ! understand humanita-
riau 70 mean-
At don't AJAX what you understand it
20 mean; ask what II means"
"Well, then, II means one devoted to
promoting the interests Of mankind; up
lifting, defending, developing, helping
in ali ways such a. need help or protec-
ton. either for soul or body. 1t 10 syn
onymous with philanthropy, though per.
hsps generally used IN more limited
sense. One may"
"Nsyer mind; that ali sounds well. bat
Il in opsn TO the small objection that it
isn't ct ell true. Humanitarian means
no such thing"
"Indeed Il doeep'
"Indesd II does not. There's but one
vav 20 settle the matter. You and |
share the family positivenees. Look at
the dictionary; that's one authority, you
acknowledge. Come, get the book; or
stay, Ill eet il for you"
And he opened the volume and then
leaned back in his chair until i found
the word.
There vas something % confident and
assured In his manner that began 70
have misgivings. The way he looked at
me a. my eye ran down the page was q
curious mixture of amusement and tri-
umph which he lily concealed. Tho
way he trified with the magazine in his
hand was vexatious. | found ". /
paused.
Well, sister, What does Webster say
about itY Let's see: Humanitarian
One who holds that Christ was merely
q man."
Nov" said Tom, at is not necessary
70 explain TO person OF your penetra-
ton and acumen just why ! was sur
pTised ct hearing you call the good
P 3 .:sS brother Humanitarian
at makes little difference" said.
impulsively. "The word IL used in the
sense in which used II nine times ont
Of ten, and no one dinents from it.
I've heard IL 10 used in the pulpit, in
school, In lectures, in the papers, every
where"
$50 have /. I've heard all that, and
the fact remains that the dictionary
warrants no such use d Il. II those
Who % apply tho word knew Just the
dictionary siRnification, they would be
simply Mortified" replied Tom.
Custom regulates these things in a
great measure. II Ia the hight Of ped
antry and hypercriticism t. quarrel with
accepted usage. Zee here" and picked
M q Newspaper. There hasn't been n
s(ngls case OF crankism since Guiteau
dropped from the scaffold. Humanita-
yiAns will please put this fact in their
pipes and pu6 away. What do you
think Of that"
~ think they have used the word
without the slightest warrant for IL ex
cent such a. custom gives; and custem,
- you know, my dear sister, sanctions q
great many errors. haven't personally
The sliQhtsst objection TO the common
ne Of the word, not the smallest; and !
understand how IL has grown TO have its
present qualification. Good sense war
rants il use, and when I make die
tionary ] think I'll give the word a
broader meaning; bat, until do, why,
shall stand by the flag, 20 to speak"
after al, Tom, think your object
y not 20 much devotion TO greatness az
u y to 80 how people will fall into the
trap you set."
"Partly right. II Ia rather interesting
70 discover how widespread an error IL;
and then take up my dictionary for
study and recreation, as do sometimes
when you might not think 10. stand
aghAst at the sins against Il which we
every day commit. And then, again.
and much 10 admire, aud its an interest
Ina thing 70 study the etymology Of
words. Isn't u, u0wi"
II admit that, Of course; but, after
al, ! dud Il rather tiresome, this ever
lasfirg sudeavor 70 be exact. ! don't
believe in uAkinQ life burden over q
fev words here and there. To my mind
there's nothing more disagreeable than
. man OF woman with craze on the
subject. Next TO the man With oonun-
drum ID the one who comes up with
what does thia mean, or how do you
opoll that, or what 10 tho etymology Of
Uneh . wordr A few years ago was a
member Of . club for mutual improve
ment And such, and I remember dis
tinotly ono evening the work and his
tory Of Particles, the sculptor, were
under dinoussion, bat the only thing !
remember of Ill that evenings study
vas the difference OF opinion In regard
20 the pronunciation Of the ma me. They
ounoul0od all the authorities, compared
noess. and the majority decided that the
accent should fall upon the penuitimate,
and that no we'll educated or right
ninaed psreon would think Of placing
itelaewhose; and net long after fpicked
ND poem by w. w. Story, the greatly
CITED, and 10, With the assurance Of &c,
uiua which b greater than the wisdom OF
ths books. he says:
"Aud strangers, whom we alesp In peace,
shall ny. uot quite unmoved,
30 smiled upon Particles
The Phryns that he loved"
~Acosnt On the antspcnultimats. oh r
said Tom.
syes, sir, in The face Of all the deoi.
eions Of The members of the club fos
mutual improvement, too"
IAN right; but u would have spoiled
The measure had be bean correct, and We
giant something 10 poetic license. ALI
The sAme. ] presume. there 10 right way
10 peoaouncs the name. though what il
10 I don't know"
Certainly. but is's not q life and
aeath matter which that way ID. and
theee arc many things moro important
% attend 10 In life than hunting MP au-
liberties upon the name Of man vh,
lived and died hundreds Of years ago,
Noe Iona ago there was m article going