Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-09-03
If PeepuI JeneraIy Don't Like
the Idea SimpIifyd Spelling
viii Be Dropt at WunCe With
a SiCkening Thud,
NOT TRYING TO BE
AN 0RTH0EPIC EAR
SeS CritiSiSm ov Step Is Mad
in Ignorance and Mo RevoI-
uShun In Langwige Is De-
Sird,

oyster Bay \. Y. Sept. 2.--m a
letter to Charles A. Stillings public
printer at Washington, made public
today President Roosevelt wrote that
If the changes IN spelling advocated by
the simpltied spelling board and pu.
into use in official documents met pop
ular approval they will be made per
manCnt If not, he wrote, they viii
be dropped. The presidents letter fol-
lows:
Hon. Charles A. StillingS, Public Prm-
ter, Washington, D. c.
My Dear Mr.. Stllings: enclose
herewith copies of certain circulars Of
the simplifcd spelling board, which
can be obtained free from the board
at No T. Madison Ave, New York city
Please hereafter direct that in all gov
crnment publications of the executive
departments the above 500 words in
cluded in Circular No 5, shall b.
spelled as therein set forth.
IF any one asks the reason for the
action refer him to Circulars 3, and
6 as issued by the simpifed spelling
board Most of the criticism OF the
proposed step is evidently made in en-
tire ignorance of what the step is, no
less in entire ignorance of the very
to the purposes to be achieved, which
views are 50 eXcelently set forth ~
the circulars to which | have referred.
There is not the slightest intention 10
do anything revolutionary or initiate
any far-reaching policy. The purpose
simply is for the government, instead
of tagging behind popular sentiment
to advance abreast of 1t and at the
same time abreast of the views of the
ablest and most practical educators of
our time as we'll as of the most pro-
found scholars, men of the stamp Of
Professor Lounsbury and Professor
Skeat. If the slight changes in the
spelling of the three hundred wor Is
proposed wholly or partially meet
popular approval then the changes
will become permanent without any
reference to what public officials or
individual private citizens may feel;
if they do not ultimately meet with
popular approval they will be drop"
ped and that is all there is about It.
They represent nothing in the world
but very slight extension of the
movement which has made agricultu-
raj implement makers and farmc"s
write, 'plow' instead of plough which
has made most Americans write
nOlOf without tlle somewhat dDSuGu,
superilous 'U' and which is even now
making people write program with
out the me just as all people wh1
speak English now write bat set
dim sum and fish instead Of the
Elizabethan bate, 'sette.' 'dimme >
'summe.' and 'fyshe,' which makes rs
write public, almanac era, fan
tasy,' and wagon, instead Of the
'publick,' .almanack. 'aera,' 'phantasy'
and Wagon Of our great grand
fathers.
1t is no attack on the Language of
Shakespeare and Milton because it IS
In some instances going back to the
forms they used, and in others merely
the extension of changes which as
regards other words have taken place
since their time. 1t is not an attempt
to do anything far-reaching or sudden
or violent or indeed anything very
great at all. 1t is merely an ATTEMPT
to cast what slight weight can proper
ly be cast on the side of the popular
forces and against those forces which
are endeavoring to make our spelling
a trine foolish and fantastic
Sincerely yours,
"THEODORE ROOSEVELT"