The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-03-26
A LIVING ISSUE.
A. J. PIERCE, SOUTH HAvIS.


In tue political arena, questions Of polity
periodically arise flourish for a season, ana de-
cline. Such as have passed the period OF their
agitation are termed dead issues, ss African
Slavery, Secession, Annexation. etc. among
those termed living issues we may count the
Transportation question, specie Payments, the
INDIAN aud the Mormon question, heconstruc-
ton, Tariff, Female Suffrage, and 30 on. In
the moral and philosophical world we have re-
! ligious issues innumerable. Temperance, Social
and Educational questions, Cremation, and
Darwinism, with others more or less significant.
And now, teachers OF Michigan, purpose to
spring upon your notice still another issue, not
a dead issue, but an emphatically LIVING one.
IL comes appropriately within the confines OF
your own domain; aud II you lay any claims 10
possessing the spirit OF progress II you affect
to be alive to the demands OF your calling II
YOU have compassion on the tens OF thousands
OF weary, aching infantile brains, hampered
at every turn in the struggle for knowledge by
the intolerable distractions cast IN their way
by the sages OF old II you sympathize with the
swelling multitudes that are annually coming
to US from foreign lands; II you respect time,
money, patience, propriety; in short, II you
belong to the present. and not to the md@vlal
time, | beseech or you 10 face this issue fairly
and squarely.
Spelling reform, the Issue to which refer,
has hitherto received but comparatively little
attention. That 1t is matter having no sec
ondary claim on public attention Is my apology
for trespassing upon your time.
Let me briefly designate IN what respect this
issue Is important.
LIST, In a financial point OF view it stands pre-
eminent.
I'd. In humanitarian point 1t is entitled to
your unqualified respect
Sd, In point OF utility, and the bene6cent re-
suits certain to follow, extending TO earth's re-
hottest bound, eliminating only IN eternity,
this subject eciipses every other projected
ology or Ism ever conceived by man.
These may strike you as bod statements,
sadly IN need OF substantlation. L may not be
equal to the task, but (perhaps by reason OF
my superficial attainments) l stand ready to at
tempt their vndicaton Ii | am 80 successful
as to call out the combative element OF some
sage. sporting an VI. A. OF an l. l.. ID. after hls
name. who will kindly proceed to take the last
vestige OF conceit out OF me, and prove me a
"maximus assimus" OF the first water, l shall
consider my present object accomplished tor
il l am laboring under deusion, the sooner
learn 1t the better But when | assert that the
term English Orthographv" Correct spelling
is misnomer; that II Is cumbersome, lncon-
sstent and unphilosophlc, do so not on my
own Responsibility. am sustained by names
in the field OF literature and language that carry
with them the prestige OF authority. | could
quote from the writings OF a score OF liDguists
and scholars OF sterling worth, and acknowl
edged ability, to prove my position; but am
aware that time is limited, and patience tickle
creature. For the present, let single citation
| from Chambers Information for tho people
suffice. 1t says, We violate every principle
of a sound alphabetical system more out
rageously than any other nation whatever
Our characters do not correspond to our artlc-
uation, and our spelling OF words cannot be
| matched for whimsical caprice.
What a commentary on the boosted enliSht
eminent OF the Nineteenth Century! the age
that claims to have outlIved superstition ano
bigotry; the age OF untrammeled thought ano
practical views the age of those mighty
agents. the telegraph, and the print,
ing-press surrounded by this atmosphere o.
thrift progression, and utility, is there not {
| frightful discrepancy between the demands o
| the age and this antique aggregation OF puz
zles and paradoxes?
No greater difference exists between the com
parative speed and comfort OF the old-fashione(
| stage-coacb, contrasted with the modern palace
car than subsists between the present or
biography and Phonic representation. But
will not now attempt to enlarge. or particular
lie the dement's OF the former, or elucldate th
merits OF the latter trusting that may b
privileged at some future time to revert to thl
most important subject
In the meantime, felow-teachers and co
laborers in the cause Of Improvement, give thu
matter a careful, unbiased consideration. Not
| the anomalies and contradictions so glarlng
apparent direct the attention of those unde
your charge to the same, and suggest to then
how the end might be attained quickly, easily
and nationally.
In fact, become animate, be not effeminate
cease not to agitate. so we may eliminate, thi
tyrant incarnate from the land that we habitate