New-York tribune., 1906-12-13
PREFERS OLD SPELLING.
4 nc House Goes on Record against
the Simplifcd Form.
From The Tribune Rureau

81 rom The Tribune I;urea,,
~ Washington Dec. pa laro, ,,,, i,rtt,- s
me members of the House declared themselves
opposed to simplifed spelling to-day. when the
Following amendment to the Legislative. Execu
NV and Judicial Appropriation bill was adopted
by vote Of Ia 10 -.
40 No money appropriated in this act shall he
,t. 80 III connection with printing documents
o..oilZee bN law or ordered by Congress or
ci'het branch thereof unless the sa me shall con
form 10 the photography recognized and used
- generally accepted dictionaries of the Eng
HSh language.
rms action WAS taken after long debate in
which the question OF spelling and the use of
the English language generally WAS thrsshed
out The amendment adopted is \ substitute
for the provision originally contained the bill
which directed the Public Printer To use The
orthography Of Webster and accepted diction-
aries III the printing OF all documents ordered
by Congress and authorized by law. This was
declared 10 be new legislation and ruled
out on a point of order. BY changing the Ian
guage OF the provision so that it applied only to
the authority conferred in the appropriation bill
under consideration the result desired by the
members of the committee in charge of the bill
was attained. Some of the leaders are inclined
TO think the amendment was faulty drawn,
and, as the action taken to-day was not fna.
an effort viii he made tomorrow by Repre-
sidetrack the question of simpfed spelling by
means of a resolution referring the subject to
the Committee Printing for investigation and
report, that it may be definitely settled later
in the session.
In the discussion Mr.. Sullivan, OF Massachu-
setts remarked that if the President by 'Impe-
rial ukase' could change the spelling of three
hundred words of the English language he
would have the authority to change thirty thou
sand words, or every word in the language. If
this could be done. he thought a court Ian
guage might be established by executive decree !
for the new American empire. We got along
very we'll with the English language until the
reign OF the present President of the United
States' he said.
Mr.. Lacey, OF Iowa thought the paragraph as
originally reported should remain in the bill.
He said the new words We're offensive TO the eye, |
but perchance by constant association we might
get used to them. To put them by executive or |
der into the laws Of the land before they have
reached literature" remarked Mr. Lacey, "is
getting the thing wrong end foremost Litera-
ture comes first, orthography afterward. Let
this Congress put this declaration into law; it
is not enactng anything, but it is simply pro-
testing against interference with established
custom as it has been followed for more than
one hundred years.
Mr. Crumpacker, Of Indiana. said the House
tive the question Of simplIhed spelling. He
was Of the opinion that the legislation would |
retard progress and reform in spelling.
Mr.. Lacey asked NJ. Crumpacker II he
thought the Public Printer would have the dis
cretion 10 spell "Crumpacker' with a *" and
Mr.. Crumpacker replied that he thought he
would.
Representative Grosvenor wanted TO know
what existing law the paragraph changed and
insisted that there was no law TO spelling
except 10 the commonly accepted way. The
effort TO define how words should be spelled. he
said, was absolutely germane 10 the bill
Mr. TaWney remarked that II simpliied spell |
ing should go into effect it would make neces-
sary the reprinting OF all the schoobooks and
dictionaries, 10 say nothing Of the cost it would
put the government 10 make the change
amendment Mr. Towne, Of New York. asked him
whether the item referred TO not ION page
%. beginning with line 23"'
Yes, believe So replied Mr. Grosvenor
Then is not that q double skiddoo, and. If So |
does It not Of necessity go out?"
"Oh. that's an old story" replied Mr.. Gros- |
venor, amid laughter
Mr.. De Almond, of Missouri. insisted that the |
amendment changed existing law and rightfuIly |
should go out a point of order.
Speaking in opposition TO the amendment, Mr.. |
Fitzgerald. Of New York said: The President |
Of the United States is recognized as q man of |
culture, a well and widely read man. SO far as |
the documents that he himself prepares and |
sends TO Congress go it seems 10 me we should !
permit him 70 use that orthography which, ac- |
cordng to his standards and ideals, is correct. /
While should not attempt TO control his ac- /
ton, IT is equally clear that he should not at /
tempt TO force his ideas upon those who are in !
q subordinate position 10 him"