Catton's descriptions of Lee and Grant are filled with respect for both men and Catton would hardly consider his work entertainment. Baker, however, has every intention of making the reader laugh (be it uncomfortable or genuine) at both Toronto and New York. but, again, where Catton seeks to elevate the two subjects of his work to a particular status, Baker is clearly wanting to take Toronto down several pegs for, perhaps, acting superior to New York.
When positively comparing Lee and Grant, Catton says, "Under everything else, they were marvelous fighters. Furthermore, their fighting qualities were really very much alike...in each man there was an indomitable quality." The language used by Baker is much less genuine and clear in intent, "The subway, on which Toronto prides itself, was a laughable imitation of the real thing. The subway cars were not only spotlessly clean, but also fully illuminated. So were the stations. To the New Yorkers, it was embarrassing..." What Baker says throughout the essay is that New York is loud, rude, aggressive, cold, dirty, and that he absolutely without question loves it that way.
Catton's message is a positive one that ends with "No part of either man's life became him more than the part he played...at Appomattox [at the end of the war]..Their behavior there put all succeeding generations of Americans in their debt. Baker's conclusion...
The point of which was to demonstrate that he had done a thorough job of reviewing everything in Toronto and could only come to the conclusion that Toronto is a "lesser" city by virtue of it not having the kinds of problems that would logically lead an outsider to New York to cringe in horror as the author is practically worshipping that quintessentially large metropolis.
Both of these works in that they succeed in achieving their intent - to engage the readeer. Where Bruce Catton seeks to impart his clearly defined passion and excitement for his subject, Russell Baker wants us to share in his snarky assessment of Toronto as being, essentially, clean and polite and thus boring. The problem, ultimately, with Baker's assessment is that it requires the reader to take his side. Both essays succeed in their purpose, both are good reads, and both follow the comparison and contrast format of writing exceptionally well.
References
Baker, R. (2002). A Nice Place to Visit. Brannan: A Writers Workshop: Crafting Paragraphs, Building Essays. New York: McGraw-Hill, pp 636-38.
Catton, Bruce. (2002). Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts. Brannan: A Writers's Workshop: Crafting Paragraphs. New York: McGraw-Hill pp 631-35.
