The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-09-30
Some Contributions 20 the Next Edition OF
Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.

WSpStSi UHdUiIuSSu DiSIOudiys
From The Owosso Press:
When the time arrives for new revi-
sion of Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
by the addition of the new words of daily
coinage with their meaning to the vocab-
ulary, it may become necessary to faith
full revision to 60 little farther and
make some changes in the Specification of
many honest, old-iashioned Anglo-Saxon
words in common use to suit the con-
struction given them at this latter end OF
the nineteenth century.
Among the words that would call FOR
reconstruction to fit the times are those
most used by politicians in speeches and
campaign platforms by office-seekers, Of
fee holders, and the whole cormorant
crew that follow them to feed upon the
vitals of tax-ridden people. This intro.
duction of new meanings to English
words as laid down by the great lexicog-
rapher in his former editions is no new
thing. During the rather prolonged life
of the writer, which has covered period
of over eighty years, the perversions
have been going on. Here / will men
ton some of these good old-fashioned
words, and notice how they have been
turned from their legitimate, truthful
meaning
The words democracy and republican
ism once had real and proper meaning.
They meant that the power of the gov
eminent was in the people, and was del
egated only to those who exercised it in
particular departments These terms
now imply particular political creed or
party whose definition is often the alb
sence of all principle and the assumption
of all authority. No doubt there was
once some meaning in the word presi-
dent. Webster says it means "the head
of republic" There is now very little
left of the original meaning. Modern
political innovation has changed it to
something very different from what was
originally intended. Alas, that the
meaning of the word president should de-
generate into the synonym of political
tool. During the administration of Mil.
lard Fillmore the writer heard leading
politician and United States Senator ask
the conundrum, What is the use OF
president unless we can use him?'
The word governor is defined by Web
ster as one who controls or exercises au-
thority. The present incumbent of that
office in Michigan comes nearer to the
standard Specification of the word than
most of his predecessors, aud we all rec
ognize the hard road he is travelling, but
from the present outlook he will proba-
bly, be reelected by the people in No
vember
Previous incumbents of the Office have,
some of them, distinguished themselves
by winking at the pilferings of their own
chosen advisors without the will or pow
er to prevent them. The word minister
once meant one who served his country
as it's representative. 1t now frequently
means an appointment with fat salary
and liberal outfit for an unprincipled
wire-puller.
The word senate once meant the con-
sentative branch of a republican govern
ment. 1t now applies to self-constitut-
ed body of millionaires who have pur-
chased the title of Senator and claim un.
der it the right to usurp the constitution
al powers of the national legislature and
dictate to the president his policy and
duties. recall the brutal assault of the
bully Brooks upon Senator Sumner, one
of the purest men personally and politi-
cally that ever held seat in the Ameri-
can Senate, and other later instances of
disgraceful scenes that have transpired in
Congress that might be mentioned, and
then ask, are there not now some sena-
tors and representatives in Congress who
are filter to be in some place of confne-
ment than in their present places? If
Washington, like Samuel of old, could be
brought up by some legerdermain of spir-
itualism, he would be 90 shocked at the
degeneration Of his country that he
would die again from disgust. But there
are other objects of disgust outside of the
cesspool Of politics.
Honorable, captain, and doctor, had
some meaning once. Now any fool or
knave who has ever held Office for any
period is honorable" Any man who
sells quack nostrums or compounds pat
ent pills is doctor. Such is the lust for
titles in republican America that we may
expect to see doctor used by the janitor
of medical college. The real educated
physician is sick of the word doctor.
We often see on signs which refer to
striped pole the words tonsorial professor
or tonsorial artist. Some Of the most inn
portant and sacred words in the English
language are most basely perverted. Lib
erty is now construed to mean unbridled
license, and christianity too often means
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