The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-05-13
Punctuation and Capitals.
A Paper Read Before the
Press Association.
From The News and Courier

Press Association.
From The News and Courier.
The following is the address which
was delivered before the recent meet.
ing of the State Press Association by
Mr.. H. G. Osteen on "Uniformity in
Punctuation and capitalization :"
UNIFORMITY IN PUNCTUATION AND CAPT.
TAIIzATIoN.
Strange as it may seem newspaper
men have ideals, and they vainly de-
sire to attain them as do ordinary
mortals In their hours of leisure,
rare though they be, newspaper men
sometimes sit aud dream of unattain-
able things that would render the
work a-day life Of the editor and re-
porter more pleasant, more dlgnihed,
perhaps more exact in its limitations.
and, perchance, more respected and
venerated. Some dream of a code cf
journalistic ethics so exact and, all.in-
elusive that no contingency could
possibly arise that would be unpro-
vided for in that ideal ethical code.
When journalistic brethren had ex-
hausted reason and argument in a
controversy without avail, there
would be 10 resort to personalities
they would quietly and with dlgni-
fed deliberation turn to the code, and,
referring to the section applicable to
the case, proceed to close the contro-
versy. Everything would be calm,
serene and ethical the idyll!c edi-
torial dreamer would wear smile,
perfume his paste and tie his edito'
rial efusions with bows of baby blue
ribbon before transmitting them to
the printer Such IS one dream All
know the reality.
Of a parity with the dream of the
ethical code is the desire for uniform
;ty in capitalization and punctuation
in newspapers While it is consum-
nation most devoutly tc be desired,
vet there is not tine slightest possibii-
ity of it ever being attained this side
Of the millennium. Therefore the
subject must, perforce. be handled
delicately and with that reverential
care that is the due portion of an
ideal emanating from the fertile i'm
agination of the executive commit.
tee The writer car appreciate the
circumstances under which the sub
iect was selected and assigned to
him. The committee had journeyed
20 Charleston, where they were met
and welcomed by the genial and
hospitable brethren Of the city
They forgot the limitations and the
impossibiiities Of newspaper work
while under the inspiriting influence
of their pleasant surroundings
and agreeable companions. ard
straightway began to dream dreams
and imagine vain things. The vain
est of their imaginings was this sub
ject. Perhaps it was intended as
bit of gentle pleasantly, perhaps as
bit of good natured satire against the
non-uniformity that prevails a9Who
can tell what they meant? Can they tell
themselves /?
The basis for the assertion that
uniformity in capitalization and
punctuation is an impossibility is the
we'll known diversity of opinion in
relation to the proper utilization of
the punctuation points and the ever
changing style of caplt lization. No
two writer's have the iaentical habits
of expression, nor doiany two have
the identical conception of the value
and use of the several points; and so
long as minds differ there will be no
uniformity in these minute of COM
position. There can aud should be,
however, a nearer approach to uni
formity. There would be no prouder
distinctic to be desired than that
of being the originator of system,
scheme, or method that wonid bring
about this reform in style. Yet
while there are so many standards of
style the hopelessness of accomplish
ing the reform is apparently com.
plete. These standards are fixed in
various ways andfor divers reasons.
There is literary standard OF punctu-
alton aud capitalization that is ad-
hered TO more or less consistently by
the makers of books and nigh class
magazines and reviews with lite
rsry pretensions. The term
.smakers of books is employed
adyisedly, for, as rule, the writer
of book or of a magazine
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