The Press., 1895-07-11

A NEW YORK PAPER invites the lead ing papers of the country to join it in re- forming the spelling of many words, elim- mating superfluous letters in some words, as catalogue, programme, rhyme, guaran- tee, etc. The suggestion is based on a good idea, but haven't we had too much tinkering already by unauthorized per sons in the matter of spelling and pro- nunciation? Nearl y every school teacher has some fad in pronunciation in which he or she is at pains to train the youth committed to her charge. Newspapers are (generally) unnecessarily coining new words to meet some alleged necessity. Where will this thing stop-if it goes on forever? We have no board of arbitra- tion in such matters, but can't we create one? Suppose ten (more or less) of the largest dictionary publishing firms in the country be each invited to name member of a commission who shall sitin judgement and give us a new compilation which, ap- proved by the majority, shall be accepted as final by the newspaper and book pub fishers. It would be better to make the matter international, but our English cousins, who cling to the barbarian of spelling parlor, labor, honor, etc., with a u, will not be likely to consent to any abridgement of the spelling of other words. The change will be an enlarging of every newspaper in the country, giving more q, T to the contents of every book page print ed. But no one or a dozen newspapers can give the impetus to the reform that could be got from body of recognized authority, representing the views of the best scholars and most practical writer's
 Springfield Republican: A friend of Gen. Harrison at Indianapolis gives out the statement that in good time the ex- president will define his views on the cur rency question, land what he says will become the republican platform next year." It is encouraging to know that he has views about silver and will venture some time to make them public.
 As paragraphs similar to the preceding , concerning Gen. Harrison frequently ap- pear in the Republican, it is interesting to print beside them this extract from one of Gen. Harrison's messages sent to congress Dec. g, 1891:
 II am still of the opinion that the free coinage of silver under existing conditions would disastrously affect our business in- terests at home and abroad. We could not hope to maintain an equality in the purchasing power of the gold and silver dollar in our own markets, and in foreign trade the stamp gives no added value to the bullion contained in coins. The pro- ducers of the country, it's farmers and la- borers, have the highest interest that every dollar, paper or coin, issued by the government shall be as good as any other. If there is one less valuable than another, it's sure and constant errand will be to pay them for their toll and for their cropS."
 If Gen. Harrison has prominent char acteristic it is clearness- of expression and consistency in what he says. He has phenomenal capacity for making short, happy speeches without repeating himself and without exposing himself to charges of inconsistency. In 1899 he wrote letter to Gov. Mckinley, in which he said:
 "Dollars of unequal commercial value will not circulate together. The better dollar is withdrawn and becomes mer- chandise. The true interest of all our people, and especially of the farmers and working people, who cannot closely ob- serve the money market, is that every dollar, paper, or coin, issued by the gov ernment shall at all times and in all it's uses be the exact equivalent, not only In debt-paying but in purchasing power, or any other dollar. an quite sure that if 1 we should now act upon this subject inde- pendently of other notions we would | greatly promote their interests and injure l our own"
 To 6 recent interviewer he said: 1T stand by all that have said on the [sil- ver1 subject" and to a question, whether the above utterances were safe to quote from, he replied certainly" Gen. Har- .ison has views, and they are not conceal sd ones.