The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1904-07-28
word ECONOMY.
WHY USE so MANY WORDS:
Fewer Will Do Better.

Sunny South.
Economy is not confined to this saw
ing or judicious expenditure of money.
II is very possible to be almost miser
where finance is concerned ana a prod
ical With physical and mental energy,
emotion and even words. Because the
spending neither OF these three last
qualities necessitates the outlay OF
cash CT apparently affects our supply
OF coin, we are apt to drift into rather
reckless methods where they are in
voIved. Single out the matter OF
words as specific instance and If you
conduct your investigation with an
eye open to this particular phase, you
will be astounded at the number of
words which we waste daily, not only
In conversation, but in our correspond
ence and legal documents. The follow
ing which is fair illustration of the
latter point, is furnished by contem-
porary given to comment: Two wills
were flied with the probate judge in
Atch!son county. One read
"Wlll-I give all my property to my
wiie."
The other read
Il give, devise, and bequeath all my
property, real, personal, and mixed, to-
gether with all tenements, heredita-
menta, and appurtenences thereunto
belonging Or otherwise appertaining to,
wherever situated, to have and to hold,
for all time and forever" etc.
And the frst is as good as the last"
What is said in the last line is Ger
tainly sharply to the point. 1t is prob
able that in the first case cited the
will is the production OF simple,
straightforward buslness man, who
needed time for other important mat
ters and who was not In love with de-
vious phraseclogy even i: 1t were ornate
aud high-s,und1ng. Fe probably I'M
sgined, too, the uncertainty in which
he would keep his hclrs, vhsn 1t cane
to the lugubrious chapter OF reading
the will, and merclfully decided to put
them out OF all suspense as quickly as
possible. The other man, it is very
likely, was fond of persifage in other
things save the use OF words, or be
did not haye sufficient confidence In
himself to undertake the making OF
his own will.
He must have secured the service 8
of lawyer, the professional peregrina-
tIons OF these gentry being to plausi-
bly, support this theory. More espe-
cially with the smaller fry or the
younger element, they feel that they
have not earned their fees unless they
give their client copious shower OF
words and abstruse terms, which, hi!e
they may befog his understanding will
tickle his vanity since the document
| is written In the first psrson and bears
his own signature.
The fault OF superfuous phraseology
is common cne and likely to bring
m uch woe to the sinner. In the first
place, II he seeks success in the busi'
ness world ne Is discouraged at the
start, for the very elemental reason
| that business men object to fowery
language or an abundance OF words
which obscure the pith OF the subject
matter. What they want and demand
are ideas and their clear expression
shorn OF all confusing verbiage, 1t tie
young man seeks to make headway ir
literature he is again handicapped, fol
the sentence or chapter overladen with
stited words never appeals to either
the reader or the public. If he strives
for social advancement, verbosity viii
be one Of his greatest handicaps, to-
people of culture are the last to b'
caught or held simply by ability tt
reel eff large words or gander-lik'
phrases.