So said Gov. Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey in speaking on “The Social Center: A Medium of Common Understanding” at the opening of the first national conference of civic and social center development last night.
(2)
“Whatever method of control over water-power resources may be deemed most equitable and expedient, it is imperative that a definite policy by both the federal government and the states be speedily adopted, first because of the obvious desirability of utilizing all commercially available water power, and second because of the possibility of public water powers’ passing absolutely into private control.”
With these significant words Herbert Knox Smith, commissioner of corporations, closes a report to the President of the United States on “Water Power Development in the United States.”
The indirect quotation is of advantage when it is not possible or convenient to give a direct quotation, and when it is desirable to give the most important point at the beginning of the lead; for example:
That the tariff problem cannot be successfully solved until Congress has adequate data upon which to base its conclusions, was the statement of Senator Albert J. Beveridge of Indiana in the senate this afternoon in advocating a tariff commission.
“The tariff is fixed by facts; how to get at all these facts is the first question in the whole tariff problem,” said Senator Beveridge. “Common sense and experience, [etc].”
The main points in a report or speech may be effectively summarized in several indirect quotations at the beginning of the story, but the separate clauses must not be too long or complicated in structure. The following examples show how these indirect quotations can be used:
(1)
That the present one cent a pound postage rate on newspapers and magazines should be doubled; that the actual cost of handling such second class matter is 5½ cents a pound; and that the proposal to charge a higher rate on the advertising sections of magazines is not feasible, is the substance of the report of the commission on second class mail matter submitted to Congress by President Taft today.