Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-03
LETTER TO PUBLIC PRINTER
Orthography of the 300 Words
Enumerated to Be Adopted.
USED IN EXECUTIVE DOCUMENTS
If the Reformed Method Meets With
Popular Approval the Change
to Be Permanent.

In a letter addressed to the
public printer President Roosevelt
directs that the changes recon-
mended by the simplifed spelling
board in the photography of 900
words enumerated be adopted IN
the printing of all government pub
locations of the executive depart
ments, the changes to become per-
manent if it meets wholly or in
part with popular approval.
Public Printer Charles A. Stillings has
received a communication from President
Roosevelt today advising him that II the
changes in spelling advocated by the SIM
pified spelling board and put into use In
official documents meet popular approval
they will be made permanent. If not, he
wrote, they will be dropped. The Presi-
dents letter. which was addressed to the
public printer, under date of September l.
was follows:
II enclose herewith copies of certain cir
culars of the simplfed spelling board,
which can be obtained free from the board
Please hereafter direct that in all govern
ment publications of the executive depart
ments the three hundred words enumerated
in circular No. shall be spelled as there
in set forth
IF anyone asks the reason for the &C
ton refer him to circulars 3, and o, as
issued by the smplified spelling board.
Most of the criticism of the proposed
step is evidently made in entire ignorance
of what the step is. no less than in entire
ignorance of the very moderate and COM
nonsense views as to the purposes to be
achieved, which views are so excellently
set forth in the circulars to which L nave
referred. There is not the slightest in
tention to do anything revolutionary or
initiate any far-reaching policy.
THE purpose simply is for the govern
ment, instead of tagging behind popular
sentiment. to advance abreast OF 1t ana
at the same time abreast OF the views OF
the ablest and most practical educators
of our time as well as of the most pro-
found scholars-men of the stamp OF Pro-
lessor Lounsbury and Professor Skeat.
IF the slight changes in the spelling
of the three hundred words proposed Who'll
iy or partially meet popular approval,
then the changes will become permanent
without any reference to what public off,
Gals or individual private citizens may
feel. II they do not ultimately meet with
popular approval they will be dropped and
that is all there is about IT.
But a Slight Extension.
They represent nothing In the world
but very slight extension of the uncon-
scious movement. which has made agri-
cultural implement makers and farmers
write plow' instead of plough which has
made most Americans write honor with
out the somewhat absurd, superfuous u,
and which Is even now making people
write program without the me-, just
as az people who speak English now write
bat Set dim sum-, and fish,. instead
of the Elizabethan bate. settle 'dimme,
'summe' and 'fysshe;' which makes us
write public almanac, era, fantasy
and wagon instead of the 'publick, al
manack,' 'aera' 'phantasy' and 'wag-
gon' of our great -grandfathers.
1T Is not an attack on the language of
Shakespeare and Milton. because 1t Is in
some instances a going-back to the forms
they used, and in others merely the ex-
tension of changes which, as regards other
words, have taken place since their time.
1t is not an attempt to do anything far
reaching sudden or violent, or indeed
anything very great at all. 1t Is merely
an attempt to cast what slight weight can
properly be cast on the side of the popu-
lar forces which are endeavoring to make
our spelling a little less foolish and fan
tastic.
tastic. Sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"