Practical Argumentation

completed. No one but an expert writer, however, can hope that his argument, in either introduction, discussion, or conclusion

s invariably made up of general suggestions, which seldom indicate the same ideas to different persons; it is inexact and incomplete. A brief, on the contrary, fails in its purpose unless it conveys accurate information. The material composing it is always in the form of complete sentences; the ideas are expressed in as ex

ed with the proof of each statement. Furthermore, a brief renders the arguer invaluable assistance in preserving the fundamental principles of composition, especially those of Unity, Coherence, Proportion, and Emphasis. It greatly simplifies his task of assorting material and assigning each part its proper place and function. It

titute the first class and are called General Rules; those rules which apply to each of the main divisions of a brief constitut

RAL

Discussion, and Conclusion. Moreover, since absolute clearness in every particular is the prime requisite for a good brief, he should label each of these parts with

arts, and mark them respectively, Int

with vague ideas and general suggestions, but with specific facts and exact thoughts. For this reason, only complete statements are of value in a brief. Mer

show that no reasoning process can exist

the past twen

kes conducted by l

trades an

d to indicate that strikes have been of frequent or of infrequent occurrence, beneficial or detrimental. The second term does not indicate whether the percentage of strikes conducted by labor organizations has be

d ending in 1905 there occurred i

irected about two-thi

e had more strikes than

gives rise to the

a in the brief in the for

der the head of Combined Propositions. Obviously, there are unwarrantable difficulties in grouping explanation or proof about such a statement as, "Municipal ownership has failed in Philadelphia, has succeeded in Edinburgh, and is likely to meet with indifferent success in New Orleans." Furthermore, a sentence t

ach statement only

diary" style of writing is permissible. It means simply that one should always state his ideas as briefly as possible without violating any of the rules of Composition. Quotations should rarely appear in a brief, never unless they are very short. When an arguer wishes to make use of another writer's material, he should condense it into his own

ment as concise as is co

of co-ordinate rank and what is of subordinate rank. This perspicuity is especially necessary in the discussion, where each statement is either being proved by subordinate statements or is serving as proof for some other statement. The device ordinarily adopted for exhibiting at a glance the relation between the id

'

'

I

e

fifth r

between statements by indentat

as the double use of symbols, but the mistake is frequently made and much confusion results. The numeral I before a heading indicates that the statement is of primary

ch statement wit

THE INTR

contain sufficient information to make the proof of the proposition perfectly clear. This portion of the brief serves as a connecting link between the proposition and the discussion; it must e

e introduction suffic

of the discussion. Th

olv

finition

n of the meaning

ment of the

e part

in an introduction. The sole purpose of the introduction is to prepare the way for the discussion; if it contains anything in the nature of proof, anything which is not admittedly true, it is no long

ntroduction only statemen

to briefs may well serve a

T MO

should permanently re

IVE B

ODUC

nt rapid development o

this country is b

lanations will aid in

ble

ip of country in the

by the Nile and

my of occupation in

through th

never suggest

out the interference

ean n

ctically ruled Egy

wing facts are

had to take cha

try was hea

ople were

age of England to retai

arguments on the que

e control of Egypt by

ief

t the control of Eg

l solution of

hat the present s

Egypt and to t

he control of Egypt b

low

hat England rules

rkey and not England sho

of opinion it appear

mined

fited by the con

of England over Egy

of the

Egypt by England a

rl

l attempt to prove t

n Egypt for the f

ntrol is harm

not the only solution

rol is harmful

ND M

f the United States should be

ATIVE

ODUC

f the United States has been both praised and con

system whereby the President is elected by the electoral college, and the pr

tems may be descr

em has the followin

to the whole number of Senators and Representa

e chosen as the Legi

di

t in their respecti

or the P

he candidate nominated by the national party which elected

ent in sealed packag

unts them and decl

majority v

ail to elect, the Ho

ent from the thr

atest number of

tem has the followi

irectly for the Pres

rity of the vote

jority, the Presiden

m when the electo

to be answered is, Shou

for the pr

alue of each method

ng stan

d be the more

the voter fuller enj

fra

d have the better ef

of the

will uphold its side

the three fol

r vote system would

ar vote system woul

stem would be better for the

RCI

ion to a brief, and (2) Write a suitable

ation fo

oduc

estion is

wing explana

e underst

iscussion of

en come to col

udy better in

this reall

of learning higher in rank th

the question ar

s more favorable to health

dent able to e

e lonely country college fo

heaper? Which is t

m the Introduction fo

aling with Henr

ing Introductions

RUSTS AFF

so, in many cases, been made through lack of a careful interpretation of available facts. It by no means follows that the Trusts have lowered prices because prices have fallen within a few years after their formation; nor, on the other hand, that Trusts have raised prices because prices have been increased. Neither does it follow that, because the Industrial Combinations might through their economies lower prices, they have, as a matter of fact, actually done so; nor again that, with the possible ability to increa

sually called "private bills"; and while the usage of this House might catalogue it under that head, it is in realit

situated near the city of Tacoma, the title to which is now in the

es nothing by the passage of this bill. I realize that these two statements placed side by s

vernment, because it was thought that at some future time the Government might need to use and occupy this land for military purposes. Therefore you will observe that the present condition of the title to this land is that the legal title is in the Government, with the right in the city to use and occupy t

nd just, but the failure to pass this bill would, in my judgment, be very unfair to the 75,000 people in the city of

TRIAL ENTERPRISES. [Footnote: A. T

neral political machinery of the country, and regulated by constitutional law instead of by statutes of incorporation. In the second place, these managers are likely to fall back on the taxing powers of the Government to make up any deficit which may arise in the operations of a public business enterprise; or in the c

enemies was a matter of primary importance. No man could let his private convenience stand in the way of effective military operations. The discipline and subo

or tribal customs had grown up, tried to keep in their own hands the responsibility of upholding these customs and the physical power connected with it. In some races they succeeded, but among European peoples the military authorities took the work of enforcing and defining laws out of the hands of the priests, and made it a function of the state as distinc

ranquility. It thus made the government more powerful, and this in turn still further increased the accumulations of capital. But along with this mutual help, which strong domestic government and strong property right rendered one another, there was an element of mutual antagonism. The very fulfillment of those functions which made the accumulation of capital possible, rendered it impossible for the gov

e individual can command. It can make up a deficit by compulsory payments; and this gives it a wider range of power in deciding what services it will undertake and what

ably, appropriating through taxation a part of the returns from private enterprise in all other fields. The question whether a government should manage an industry reduces itself to this: Are the

a brief on each of the pr