The sun., 1918-07-07

fifty years. And Dana and Mitchell
ere found in agreement not only upoI
the subject of what the reader wishe,
but upon the necessity for the pres
crvation in newspapers as well as ir
books Of the ideals of the language
Speaking at a conference held a
Princeton University in 1917 Mr.
Mitchell said:
The most serious practical evil that
will result from the elimination Of the
classics will fall upon the English Ian.
guage itself. The racial memory begins
to decay, the racial Imagination. the be
getter OF memory. begins to weaken
the sense OF precise meanings begins &c
lose It's edge and the English language
ceases to be a vital thing and becomes a
mere code OF arbitrary signals wig
wagsed from mouth to ear. Were / the
emergency autocrat OF this language
should proclaim in drastic regulations
and enforce by severe penalties thu
American duty OF adherence to the old
habits of speech. the old scrupuloua re-
spect for the finer shades OF meaning
the old rigid observance Of the morality
OF word relations and this, believe
can be done only by maintaining the
classical culture at high potency.
Mr.. Mitchell was born in Maine in
1852 and was graduated from Bow
dom In 1871. 1t is curious to note
scanning the names Of the editors and
proprietors, how THE Sun has drawn
upon New England.
Benjamin II. Day was born in West
Springfield. Mass. April 10. 1910.
Moses Yale Beach was born in Wall.
ingford. Conn. January 7. 1900.
Moses Sperry Beach was born in
Springfield. Mass. October 5. 1922.
Charles A. Dana was born in Hins-
dale. n. H., August s, 1919.
Edward p. Mitchell was born In
Bath, Me. March "a, 1852.
Frank A. MInsey was born in Mer-
Ger. Me-. August 81. 1854.
Mayo W. HsxeItine and Others.
Any grouping of Sun men on the
purely literary side brings the name
of Hazeltine to stand with those oil
Dana and Mitchell. Mayo Williamson
Hazeltine was a fine example of the
scholar in newspaper work: an ex-
ample Of the way in which Dana, with
his intellectual magnificence, found
the best for his papers.
Educated at Harvard and OXFORD
and in continental Europe. Hazeltint
came to THE Sun In 1878, and was itt
literary critic until his death in 1909
During the same period he was also
one of its principal writer's of article.
on foreign politics and sociology. His
book reviews. published in THE SU>
on Sundays, which made the initials
M. w. H." familiar to the whole
English reading world. were marvel.
of comprehension. Many a publishe,
OF three volume historical work Ia.
mented when 1t attracted Hazeltine's
attention. for his review. whether two
columns or seven. usually compressed
into that space all that the average
student cared to know about the book
reducing the high cost of reading from
Sc or So to a nickel
Hazeltine enjoyed under both Dana
and Mitchell practically his own choice
OF subjects, a free hand with them
and n generous income; and in return
for more than thirty years he poured
into the columns Of THE SIN a wealth
of the erudition which was his by
right OF education, travel, an intense
interest in all things Intellectual and
a wonderful memory.
In the list of writer's of editorial
articles which includes Dana. Mitchell
William O. Bartlett and HaZeltine are
found also the names of Frank p
Church, +. NJ. Kingsbury, Napoleon l.
Thiehlin. James Henry Wilson. John
Swinton. Henry r. Stanton. Fiji
Henry Warren. William r Washburn
Harold NJ, Anderson. Frank II. ST.
monds and Henry NJ. Armstrong. OF
these church stands alone as the
writer in whose case THE SIN broke
It's rue that the anonymity of edi.
torial writer's is absolute. After M
ehurch's death on April II, 1906, n
was announced in THE SuN that he
was the author Of what for moro than
twenty years has been regarded as the
most popular editorial article eva,
written. 1t appeared on Sep.embe,
81. 1897:
is THERE A SANTA CLAUS
we TAKE pleasure in answering al
once and thus prominently the communi.
cation below. expressing NJ the same
time our great qualification that lis
faithful author Is numbered among the
friends OF TIVE SUN:
DEAR EnIroR,'
II am eight years old Some OF my
little friends say there is no Santa
Claus, Papa says II you see it in THE
SIN It's So Please tell the truth, is
there a Santa Claus?
VIRGINIA O'HANLoN,
"ll5 West Ninety-fifth street"
Virginia. your little friends are wrong
They have been affected by the scep-