Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-06-27

ment of the correspondent and the amuse-
ment of the public the letter that the
author deemed none too extended for the
making" of his points" stretched be-
yond the arbitrary limit he set for an ed
itorial of proper length by nearly three
times. 1t was an admirable reply. Ger
tainly the short editorial is desirable, but
"shortness" should be measured with
due regard 10 the rhetorical and logical
needs Of the argument. In the newspaper
writing of the day dogmatic paragraphing
has strong foothold, and there is no deny
ing that it is gaining in popularity, but
this is saying little or nothing for
the advancement of public tastes, or the
thoughtfulness or rcasonableneSs of a por-
ton of the reading public, which turns to
the Reviews" content to spend any
amount of time upon essays of many pages,
but denies to the writer for the daily press
1.-THE of the time for consideration OF the
same subject. There is in all this criticism
of long editorials, and the yielding of
the press to the complaints, great confu-
sion of values. Holland, who was an ac-
complished editor, grew angry when he
came to this topic. lie once exclaimed:
IF any simple and unsophistecated person
were for the first time to take up "a newspaper,
and to endeayor to Judge of what things in the
moral and sOcisl world were considered of the
greatest Importance what would he conclude,
Judging by the space and attention devoted to
them in its pages? In a large majority of in
stances, he would find Il stingy column devoted
to the discussions of social science convention
and a half page TO q murder or bOat-race. He
would find a column devoted to police reports
while the sermons of a Sunday, from
the best minds in the country, would get no
greater space.
Admitting the tendency of the age and
the press to cater to the taste that demands
this allotment of space, the same vigorous
writer asks:
Has it ever occurred to the editor who would
put i'll this plea, (of public deInand) that he
has had something to do i'll ministering to this
deprayed liking for things that are valueless?
Some time prior to the penning of the
lines quoted, the doctor had the courage
to say:
Newspaper reading is one of the most pow
| eTful causes of the loss of the power to study
the reading which costs no effort and
necessarily dissipates the power of study, is
that which we should indulge in only for re-
creation, while that which we know to be i'm
portant in itself and in its bearings upon broad
| knowledge and culture, should most engage
our time and attention.
The great mass of the newspapers of the
day editorially treat of important subjects,
those at least that are closely related to
the activities of everyday life and to the
best thought of the age and therein they
pursue wise course. But when their treat
nent becomes dogmatic and fippant in or
der to secure mere breyity in inches down
the column, they do the reader serious
harm by cultivating like meager style in
thought, Brevity is a high virtue in
writing if there is not sacrificed to it de-
liberation and reason. Dizziness Is I'M
pardonable since it repels, but con-
ciseness of expression is by no means to be
measured by the number of lines of type
employed, nor is elaboration to be valued
or condemned by a similar standard We
should read the newspaper essay because of
the interest Of the subject and the merit of
the treatment, and neither avoid nor seek
it because of its length.