The sun., 1891-01-23
What is tho Explanatlon7

Our esteemed contemporary. the Fhiiadei-
yhiu Press. publishes In parallel columns
series Of extracts from the inaugural I'D.
dress just delivered by Governor PAr11soF
OF Pennsylvania matched with extracts
from other addresses and messages Of his
when he was Governor before. These COM
parative extracts show that Governor PAT
TlsoS hte now mads use, not merely
but OF tho identical language he then en-
ploycd. In other words, he has repeated
word for word, in his inaugural address, long
sentences and elaborate discussions which he
had presented officially on former occasions.
To give our readers an idea OF the matter
we copy hero the shortest one among these
parallel passages:
Inaugural zddr-ss. 1901. special Message lesa
There will not he more The Assembly will not Be
important measure for the called 10 act upon more
consideration OF the As important measure during
ssmbly than that of ap Its session than that OF the
portionment II touches Apportionment. 1t touches
government in its most government la its most VI
vital parts Fair and Just tai parts Fair aud ustrep
to all sec resentation to all sections
tons of tho state In tho of the State underies the
General Assembly and In whole fabric Of politi
Congress underlies tho cal system. 1t 10 the cor
whole fabric OF our politt stone of Govern.
cal system II Is the corner ment Considerations OF
stone of cur Government party. Of factions Of To-
Considerations OF party, of caty. or OF indivtduas
factions OF locality Of have nothing to DO with
individuals have nothing to tho subject Of apporton.
do with the subject OF ap ment This duty should bs
portionment This duty performed by tho Legisla
should be performed by the upon uniform and Just
Legislature upon uniform principles. There should
and Just prncipea There not be rule for part
should not be rule for OF the State and different
ono part Of the State and rule for another The Con-
different rule for another stitution commands that
Tho Constitution com the districts shall bo com.
mands that the districts posed Of compact and
shall be composed Of contiguous territory" This
pact and contiguous terri. rule should bs observed
tory This rulo should BE the entire State
observed throughout the It Ia palpably violated by
entire State pslpaby the present apportionment
violated b. tho present ap
portionment
The Press charges that this is plagiarism {;
but it lacks quality which Is essential to
plagiarism, namely. that of being copied from
the writing Of another person. 1t is not
plagiarism; 1t is simply repetition. Desiring
to express the same ideas and the same
views Of public policy which he had ex-
pressed before. Mr.. PATT1soN has q perfect
right to take them from former documents
OF his own production, and to use the very
language which he had formerly employed
for the purpose.
But why should he do this2 Why should
he 20 back to his own former writings and
laboriously copy out their phraseology ?
For most men who have given proof Of as
much literary talent as Governor PATr1soN
appears to evince. 1t is much easier to ex-
press their views in new words than to
search out and write over again the words
in which they have clothed them before.
Or can 1t be true that the earlier phrase
ology has become identified in the Cover
nor's mind with the ideas themselves 30
that when the ideas are revived in his
thinking the words are revived with them,
and he unconsciously repeats himself
thinking all the while that he Is put
ting his views into language not only
suitable but new? There are several cases
in history in which plagiarism has been un-
consciously committed; and II the Cover
nor's repetition has really been brought
about In that manner. 1t only affords now
illustration Of singular intellectual pho
nomenon.