The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-02-21
photographic Reform.
, Editor of the Detroit Tribute:

To The Editor of the Detroit Tribune:
The article in TIE WEEKLY TRIBUNE
of the 30th ult., under the caption OF
"Importing Language" struck me
with peculiar force, and | write to com
mend the idea therein contained to the
candid consideration of every educator
and friend of progress in the land.
In this projected movement of for
eign nation | perceive an earnest OF that
"good time a coming" of which sages
write and poets sing. Yes, does it not
foreshadow the reign of peace, when the
''lion shall lie down with the lamb" as
the prophets Of old affirm?
Well may we price ourselves on the
possession of language which by the
labors of giant minds through success
siye ages, and enriched by accertions
from almost every other tongue, until 1t
has become to be acknowledged as the
most copious, expressive ard flexible
language of the globe; yet, when we
glance at it's written form; Shades of
Cadmus! at out -Herods Herod!"
Originating in the Dark Ages when
the human mind delighted in extrava-
gances, gloried in paradoxes, reveled in
the widest phantssms, yea, ere Frank.
lin had declared that "time was money"
it has come down to US shorn but little
of its primary, uncouth and numbering
proportions.
Without single merit to command
it, devoid of logical construction, bereft
of analogy, lacking beauty, violating
propriety, augmenting expenses, retard-
ing civilization, and possessing every at
tribute of confusion, labor and vexatiOn,
yet is accepted by the masses as a thing
that must be- And thus the relic Of
barbarism has been suffered to drag its
tortuous existence through five long CEN
turies, and now we, of the 10Th, the age
of practical ideas, the age that has yoked
the powers Of steam, that has harnessed
the lightaings Of heaven, the age of
stupendous realities must we forsOoth
settle down in languid Indifference and
meekly accept the situation simply be-
cause our fathers did before us?
Must it be reserved for foreign peo-
pie, a nation that we have always been
taught to consider but little better than
savages. even the "Hcathca Jdpec' to
come to the rescue and offer to "rct0rm
and purity" our language: What a
on the boasted enlightmeDt
of the Auglo Saxon race, We, who af.
feet to mould the ideas Of the world
who presume to possess every essential
Of refinement progression and utility.
Is it not high time that we awake to
a realizing sense Of our position in the
eyes of the world, recognize the demands
of the age and at once take steps TO
make a radical reform in our wretched
excuse for an English orthography:
Is it too much 10 affirm, that reform
based ON phonetic representation will
iust as certainly mark an era in our al
vancement, and just as much supersede
our present photography as the railroad
car supcrsedes the stage coach, the steam
boat the sailing vessel, or the reaper the
sickle:
So, if we would retain our prestige as
people alive to the best interests of all
mankind, scorning the appellation Of
"oH f5lgiSm, let Us be up and doing,
ere some Hotteutot or wild Comanche
next rresumes to set us on the road to
progress.
The world moves Think Of that.
Soum HAVEN Mich Feb 9TH, 1873.
4. j. =.