The Washington herald., 1906-12-02

While there is no reason at present 10
believe that the subcommittee of the
House Committee on Appropriations,
which is working on the legislative, execu-
tive, and judicial appropriation bill. will
reverse itself on the subject OF simpli-
fed spelling. there is apparently an in
creasing tendency on the part of some
Of its members to pass the problem up
to the full committee.
A day or two ago the subcommittee
was unanimous in its opposition to any
further extension OF the style Of orthog-
raphy which President Roosevelt's order
has made famous. Since then some hesi-
tation has been manifested, and II is pos
sible that the full committee may be
compelled in the end TO decide the matter
without any recommendation from the
subcommittee.
The discussions in which the members
Of the subcommittee have engaged have
brought up an interesting point which
seems not to have been noticed before
/ That is that several of the members Of
the simplifed spelling board which has
been largely responsible for the agita-
ton of the question may not be alto
gether disinterested in their efforts to
have the new method generally adopted
At least five members Of the board
are publishers. or are connected N some
way with publishing establishments. It
was pointed out during the discussion OF
the new style spelling before the sub
committee that it would be decidedly to
the interest Of a certain class OF publish
ers if all branches of the government
followed the Executive IN changing from
the old method.
or course, such a step would not neces-
sariiy mean that all existing school books
dictionaries, thesaurl. books Of references.
sc, would have to be repubushed, but, in
the opinion Of some members OF the SUBJ
committee. it would be a first step in
that direction. and 4 long one
Confusion in schools.
Heads OF schools. for instance. could
hardly afford to stand out against the
new kind Of spelling. II they insisted on
teaching that through should be spelt
through" rather than thru" some con-
I tentious student might cause embarrass-
ment by calling attention 10 the conflict
between that teaching and The orders Of
the highest officials of the government.
The general adoption Of the new method
by the government would mean that
either the government or the dictionaries
and reference books were wrong, and
that would cause confusion which could
only be cleared away by the republica-
ton of the books in question. inasmuch
as the government could hardly be ex-
pected 10 revert to its original position
once it had taken its orthographicaI leap
In the other direction. Endless arguments
would ensue. and uniformity In spelling
would be impossible unless the country
at large came around to the Presidents S
/ way Of thinking And that, Of course,
would make new editions Of the dlcuon-
aries, cyclopedias, and school books in
evitable.
This phase Of the question has been
given considerable attention by the sub
committee which is now getting the first
appropriation bill Of the session whipped
into shape. 1t is admitted that the sim
piifed spelling board contains members
who are among the most prominent men
in the country. and concerning whose
sincerity no doubt can exist The pub
fishers spoken of are all men Of high
standing, too; but the fact that they
are publishers, and a part Of the board
which is pushing the new method Of
spelling so assiduously, gives the public
the right to at least debate the question
of whether or not the nature Of their
business has had anything to do with
making them advocates of the advanced
orthography. The republication of school
books and other works would obviously
benefit some Of them in a financial way
and this is the point that is bothering the
subcommittee to some extent.
Names of the Publishers.
The publishers on the board are o. c.
Biackmer, of Oak Park, Chicago, III;
Isaac K. Funk. Of Funk & Wagnals, edi-
tor and publisher Of the Standard Die
tionary; Henry Holt, Of New York. whose
firm publishes many school books. &c !;
Benjamin F. Smith, editor Of the Cen
tUry Dictionary, New York. and Charles
P. G. Scott, genealogical editor Of the
same work. Mr.. Scott is secretary Of
the board.
Members of Congress who at first were
inclined TO regard the whole question Of
simplihed spelling as a joke. are begin
ming to realize that It may prove any
thing but that. II is as certain as any
thing Of the kind can be that the subject
will be discussed in both Houses during
the forthcoming session.