The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-08
BLOW AT PHONETIC SPELLNG.
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
VOTES TO STICK TO WEBSTER.

CIlIett OF Massachusetts Alone stood Out
In Faver OF the P~resident's order
me question. was Also Discussed
In the Joint Committee on Printing.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7.-Congress will have
none Of the simpliiied spelling OF the Presi-
dent, Brander Matthews and Andrew Car
negie il the recommendation OF the House
Committee on Appropriations contained
in the legislative bill reported to-day 10
adopted, and there In little or no likelihood
that IL will be rejected. The members OF
the committee, after q long drawn out
fight on the question, to-day voted to stick
to Noah Webster and the old fashioned
spelling Of their fathers. The new tangled
idea OF spelling had one lone defender In
the committee, however, and he sucoeeded
in holding up the committee and delaying
the report upon the mea sure for three
hours, while the proceedings Of the House
dragged YEARLY along n finally took q
recess in order that the Appropriations
Committee might reach an agreement and
place the bill before the House before
adjournment.
Representative GilIett of Massachusetts,,
a natural born reformer and chairman
Oh lhC AlOllbo SShhhhlbtC% va
civil service, alone stood out against q
declaration in the bill in favor OF retaining
the old system of spelling In Congressional
documents and other printed matter. and
it required the combined force Of all the
other members Of hi COMMITTEES to over
como his objections. They did so by their
votes, az they failed to convince MIR. Gllett
by their argument that the old method
should be allowed to prevail. Mr.. Gllet
became very much exercised over the
ma after. He declared that 1t was ridiculous
for a little committee of Congress to attempt
20 overcome the grand work OF reform
which had been inaugursted by so great
a man as the President of the United States,
and that in the faco Of the Presidents
order for simplifed spelling for the com
mittee to attempt to retain the old style
would be to hold the committee no to the
laughter OF the public
Mr.. Madden Of Illinois vas willing to
accept the simplified style. but did not In
sist upon IL. as did Mr.. Gillett
Some Of the members who attempted to
argue the question with Mr.. Gillett pointed
out nat by the use Of the Matthew Carnegie
system Of spelling the President In his
annual message had made a saving OF tlS
letters, at q cost OF about 500 70 the Govern
ment in the printing bill.
The question came up when the bill was
reported this morning to the func COMMITTEES
from the subcommittee which prepared u.
II contained this provision:
Hereafter in printing documents author
lied by law or ordered by Congress, or
either branch thereof, the Government
Printing Office shall follow the rules OF
photography established by Webster's or
other generally accepted dictionaries OF
the English language.
no trouble over the bill and expected to
report il as soon as the House met. As
soon as this paragraph was reached, how
ever, "a long discussion arose aud lasted
for two hours or more, with the result that
he paragraph was allowed 10 remain IN the
measure. There il not much hkeuhood
out OF the bill in the House, as il could
scarcely be held that il would change exist
ing law, which under the rules OF the House
an appropriation bill cannot do.
The bill carries an appropriation OF SW'-
$40, esq, a reduction of seS5 SAP from the
estimates. The legislati We bill for the
current year carried an expenditure OF
$50, 1893, 430, or 1851 1888 less than Is recon-
mended in the present measure.
The bill requires the Secretary OF the
Treasury to submit with his annual esti-
mates for the expenditures an estimate OF
the public revenues, which Secretary Shaw
has not done for the last two years. For
mer Secretaries of the Treasury submitted
such estimates.
At a recent meeting Of the Joint Com
mittee on Printing the matter Of the Pres
ident's order regarding simplitied spelling
was discussed and some heretlcal views
were expressed. Mr.. Perkins Of New York
said he had not been present at a meeting OF
the committee for some time asked II
il were true that the other members were
opposed to the "nu speln.' He was told
that they were, whereupon be expressed
his opinion of the changes. >,
IF they really simplified spelling II would
not be SO bad" he said. But the con-
trary Is the fact. They tend to confusion
and are wholly unscientific. The order Is
without warrant in my opinion. IL the
President may direct an official or employee
how he must spell, why may be not order
him 10 wear a red necktIeH
One OF the committee, apropos OF what
he said was the current opinion that II
President Roosevelt found one OF his fads
or IDEAS did not a with the public he
would abandon IL, said he had learned
that tho President was fixed in his determi-
nation to persist In requiring the Executive
departments TO conform to the suggestions
OF the spelling board. Everybody will be
spelling that way in a hundred years, was
That NAV be-" was Mr.. Perkins, COM
ment, but II would be well TO wait until
the hundred years nave elapsed before
assuming the finality Of the fact. A man
would, or at least might. be embarrassed
il compelled TO walk down Pennsylvania
avenue clothed in What some one conceived
would be the costume Of the period a century
hence"
The printed report Of the hearings before
the House Committee ON Appropriations
when Public Printer Stillings was before
he committee shows some interesting
statements which were brought out in
regard TO the simplifled spelling. The
original draft of the committees bill came
back from the Government Printing Office
in simplified spelling and Mr.. Stillings was
taken 10 task for il by the committee. He
explained that the Office had followed the
book Of estimates which had been printed
at the Treasury Department IN simplifed
spelling in accordance with the Presidents
order.
THE adoption by Congress- OF this form Of
spelling" said Mr.. Tawney, would ulti-
mately, and in thev very near future, neoessi-
tate the publication Of a new dictionary, a
new school book, and their purchase by the
citizens Of the United States"
Mr.. Stillings admitted that il sim plihed
spelling came into vogue such would be the
case. The committee also forced from Mr..
Stillings an admission that where documents
were originally printed for the executive de-
partments under the Presidents order In
..-.,Ha,J onaIlfnn and than raprfpNaH ~,