The Washington times., 1917-02-04
Here and There
In the News


and elf" of whether" should" OF
rear" OF raise" and raise" OF
"rear." and so on. The list could be
extended almost without end. Why
say "abolishment," which is set down
in the books as rare" when "aboli.
ton is so much better? Why say
that the Rev. DIR. Blank delivered
prayer when he really Offered
prayer; why say carry" when take
or conduct" is better: why say hit
| in the head" when "hit on the head"
is what Is meant: why say under the
! circumstances" when "in the circum-
stances" is correct: why say "sur-
rounding circumstances" when there
| can be no circumstances" that do not
not surrounds: why say. as the Indian
ian notes, present incumbent" when
| there can be no other sort OF "incum-
bent?"
Famous Political Grammar.
\ famous political leader in this
country is reported to have said in
one OF his greatest speeches: ave
mustn't do as them Romans done"
His meaning was clear, but his form
was bad. The same eminent states
man is reported to answered on an
other occasion when asked whether or
not he had seen Mr.. So-and-So: mo,
| haven't saw him. and / haven't saw
anybody who has saw him." Again,
his meaning was clear but his form
was bad. Why say done" for "did?"
Why say does" for do" in such a
. \.
the better and more correct form, eff
he do not?" why use clarity (which
is pronounced by authority as lob
solete and archaic"). as so many dis
tinguished journalists in their most
impressive outgivines do. when
"clearness" is so much better? Why
not; but what's the use?
History Repeatn O .
Going on sixty years ago, the star
of the West" was fired on in Charles
ton harbor; that was regarded as an
act OF war, and that is what 1t meant.
The other day the steamship Lieben-
fels was sunk in Charleston harbor,
ana the public is waiting to find out
whether or not that was an act of
war. 1t is strange how history repeats
itself.
SOuArience.
What is the collective conscience"
of a community? That is the aues-
ton asked yesterday by an honest
man who was trying 10 excuse the
place in which he liveNfor making
clever trade for a certain public
utility in which private investors had
put their money when the "coIIec-
tive conscience" of the community
would not invest its own money. He
knew men who were honest in their
private transactions, who paid their
personal debts, who were jealous OF
their individual credit. but who did
not regard an obligation of the town
or city In which they lived as in any
sense binding upon them. In his opin-
ion the collective conscience" of a
community is something apart from
the individual conscience of the COM
munity, which is something new in
political ethics. A. matter of fact,
the community Is no better than the
individual members of 1t and the in
dividuals are no better at bottom than
the community. That Is why private
credit Is so dependent upon public
reputation and why the success of
people living and doing business in
a community is dependent upon the
faith the community has kept with
those who have Invested their money
for its benefit. The collective con-
science" is after all the individual
conscience.
A Flask of Old Wine.
Benjamin Perley Poore, an Ameri-
can journalist of distinction, repre-
sented the Boston Journal In Wash
inOfnn fnr thirty
1884, and died here in 1887. He lived
in the most stirring period of the ma
tional life and was much appreciated
while he was "in our midst" as the
orators from Wayback would say.
Besides being a newspaper CORE
spondent and the writer of several
books, he was good fellow" and,
though leading a temperate life, he
knew good wine from bad. An old
letter written to him by Asa +. Pot.
ter, OF Boston, has turned up in the
last few days which is of interest. in
way. 1t was written July 10, 1881,
and reads as follows:
Ny dear Major: In 1850 Daniel
Webster sold some Of his wines, and
the Temple Club, OF which I am a
member, bought some of the Con.
stitution' Madeira. As this IL
historical fact, I thought there was
an appropriateness in asking you to
accept a contribution for the Indian
Hill collection, not for preservation,
but with a hope that it may be a
reminder to you OF the very de-
lightful days enjoyment / had at
your hospitable home, and that the
consumption Will in a slight meas
ure be equal to the pleasure 7 had.
The corks were so old to the bot
ties that / had II recorked. and /
hope its arrival finds madame and
yourself in the best of health. l
am, sincerely.
ASA T. POTTER.
A Recent Opening.
Twenty-three years ago a few bot
ties OF this nectar was bought by
Thomas Riley, Vice President Mar
shalrs distant cousin, in F street, and
yesterday one OF the bottles was
opened by Capt. Thomas Rusk Mar
shall for the entertainment of a few
OF his friends. all OF whom Joined him
in saying. with Webster. Liberty and
union, now and forever, one and -
separable." At least two of the com
pany could not help thinking also of
what Mr.. Webster said in his speech
at the Charleston bar dinner seventy
years ago-"Liberty exists in proper
tiOn to wholesale restraint" In those
faraway days there were some famous
cellars In Charleston. and SIr. Web
ster is said to have tried them all.
Making a City Into . Stnte.