Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-08-05
the DICTIONARY.

Our morning Contemporaries are hav'
ing a little controversy over the proper
place and poten'iality Of tho di3iion.
airy. The NEWS Ia no, < ing 10 par.
ticipste in the discussion, but as the
suDleo; IL sometimes brought up else.
where and is always an interesting
one, Will venture few words regard.
Ing Il Gail by itself" We all use die
tlonarics, no library Il complete with.
out them, and there IL no other book
or authority thst IL more readily or
frequently consulted, not only In this
country but all Of them where any
form or degree Of mental education
prevails. This alone gives the book n
high standby; but whether such
standing isa reward Of inn,te, indis-
pulsblo and recognized merit or
merely n conventional ami convenient
concession is the question at issue.
We incline 10 the opinion that there
must Or should In all cases where dis.
putes arlsc and differences OF opinion
prevail, be- an arbtcr whose decree is
final Otherwise we should be lacking
Ia syslem aud onectivene.l, Tor with
every individual given the right -
ursei euch decision we Oh Guild be- M
badly OIL a. though we dii not have IL
NJ all. We may and Ia fac, often do
domur TO and oriticlse the rulings Of
our supreme COURT; we take occasion
TO point out now and then wherein
their positions on certain phases Of a
matter decided are departures from
recognized pfincip -, ami even at
times In conflict with the law
itself as previously understood aud
generally accepted. Luckily no
onu can dony IA this right
and no one eho1ld want to do 40,
because he may want 10 exercise 10
himself sometime. But We do moi seek
TO rUverseor overcome those mandatcs,
even though We occasionally seek 10
mould opinions differently, and By
means OF a rehearing or having the
points at Issue brought up in another
way TO effect reversal or modification.
Even Ia this We recognize Ihe human
omnipOtonce VI the court, for We seek a
change not through ourselves or by
means Of extranrous measures, but
through the action OF the person OF
body recognized as alone having the
power 10 grant II.
So with the dictionary. II Gadoubt.
edly has its full quota Of defects aud
Inconsistencies, which We allow for
and may not abide by II We see NJ,
but such action only places one agalnsl
the "eloven obstinate jurors" all the
rest, practically, being tire other way;
20 that We gain nothing but repula'
ton for "showing or" our researches
and requirements, aud the authority
Rssailed remains unmoyed. II does not
look well 10 sec words spelled In all
manner Of ways, and Ia order to oh.
yiato this It Ia necessary to have O
recognized standard, which in IA,
United States Ia usually the
lexicon OF Worcester or Web.
sleT. But while their declsloni
settle any question IA to orthography oil
orthoepy 20 far as legitimacy Is con
cerned, aud as to disputants is an enc
TO the dispute by deciding II, it doe.
not follow that the race Is not entitled
TO progress, that II Is 10 be forever helt
In the chains Of an elymologict sys
ten which Ia reality amounts to mere
ly The capitalization Of AbsuTdity al,
irregulArity; but In accomplishing
reforms II should be- remembered tha
every body Ia not an authority aud tina
common consent In such cases is IA,
worse kind OF reliance. Changes tina
came from higher up the intolleotua
scale are entitled to confederation, a
they will surely sooner or later b,
adopted, until at last the lncon
gruilies aud oOntrGiotles Of on
photographic system aro elimin
ated altogether Meantime, tho die
tionary ssitis 10 the arbiter, because WI
must have ono and 10 repudiate /
even In part would be to leave us a
the mercy ofeyory literary crank VIII
takes a delight Ia airing his vagaro
before atutleTing worlI.