The record-union., 1893-05-19
A SINCERE PROTEST.

The newspaper press has enough sins
to answer for without provoking the
wrath of justice further. AS an intelli-
gent influence, it should act the part of
an educator. 1t should, therefore, aim to
conserve cleanliness and reasonableness
in the use and preservation of the English
language. Just so far as the press casts
its influence in the other direction, it
makes the work of the schools of the dav
more difficult. 1t is exceedingly dis
couraging to the conscientious teacher to
have his honest work undone by the per-
sistence of the newspaper press in using
language that is warranted by no reason
whatever.
The English tongue, as used in Amer
lea, is already overloaded with colloqui-
alisms that are indefensible and are the
opposite of refining. It is spotted by
slang that cannot do other service than to
injure mentality. However, Professor
Whitney is right in saying that some
slang. because of its aptness and vigor and
wit, is defensible. To think well we
should be able to speak well. Good Ian
guage aids to good thought. Mental
strength is not conserved by rude meth
DDS of expression. The parent invariably
rebukes coarseness of expression in the
child, because he knows its baleful influ-
ence will have an effect upon the charac-
ter of the youth he is training.
We teach our children analysis that
they may be able the better to fathom the
meaning of words without the aid OF
lexicons. Teaching the arbitrary word
is always disagreeable task, but to give
1.-The reason why" is always pleasure to
the parent or teacher and a source of
satisfaction to the learner.
Our language ought to be a means of
refining and elevating; if it is not, it loses
its greater purpose. 1t is a means of
communicating thought and of cultivat-
ing power. He who can use this vehicle
to best advantage, has decided gain to
his credit among men, anG his sphere of
usefulness among his fellows is the
broader
1t is for these and cognate reasons that
the RECoRD-UNIoN has protested, in
common with the better class of Journals.
against the introduction of words for
which there is and can be no parentage-
mere terms carved out of the willfulness
OF some and born of the ignorance of
others. If we may not hope to be a
polished people, we may at least strive to
have cleanly method of expressing our
thoughts, and the press should aid in
that direction.
So when the RECoRD-UNIoN has inter-
posed its objection to fouling the English
tongue with such otienses as the new
system of executing criminals has given
birth to, it has not done so as a purist or
stickler for niceties. 1t does regret that
there should be added to newspaper sins
still the other grievance of being a STUN
bling block in the way of educating
youth properly. 1t i'll becomes newspa-
pers to criticise school systems and
teachers for failure to impress upon pu-
pills the wisdom and virtue of correct
writing and speaking, and at the same
time accustom the youth OF the land to
the use of words that do not rise TO the
level of the Chinese tongue, the most ar
bitrary and meaningless of languages.
By all means make words to tit new
conditions and modern development, but
let them be built upon some sort of
foundation, since there is neither wit,
wisdom nor economy in arbitrarily
formed words, when from substantial
bedrock good, expressive words may be
easily built up. That is to say, let us if
we will say electro-execution, but never
'electrocution," since ''cution" is and
ever must be without decent parentage or
hope of posterity. And so along the
whole line of mountaineering; let the
press take it on as a duty to condemn it,
and encourage newspaper reading by
making it one means of educating the
people into proper, refining and helpful
use of the English tongue.