Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1906-09-07
SIMPLIFIEDSPELLING
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT LEAVES
1T TO POPULAR APPROVAL.
The simplified Spelling Advocated by
the Board and Put in OFFICIAL Docu-
ments Is Up for Argument-He Says
Drop 1t if not Popular-His Letter
to Public is Printed.

Oyster Bay, N. Y, Sept. AIN let
ter to Charles A. Stillings, public prin-
ter at Washington, made public re-
Gently, President Roosevelt wrote that
if the changes in spelling advocated
by the simplified spelling board and
put into use in official documents
meets with popular approval they will
be made permanent. If not, he wrote,
they will be dropped The presidents
letter follows:
Hon. Charles A. Stillings, public
printer, Washington, D. C.-My Dear
Mr.. Stillings: enclose herewith cop
les of certain circulars of the simpli-
fed spelling board, which can be OBJ
tanned free from the board at No. 1
Madison avenue, New York city.
Please hereafter direct that in all gov
eminent publications of the executive
departments the above 300 words emu
merated in circular No. shall be
spelled as therein set forth. If any
one asks the reason for the action re-
fer him to circulars 8, i and as is
sued by the simplified spelling board.
Most of the criticism of the proposed
step is evidently made in entire igno-
rance of what the step is no less than
in entire ignorance of the very moder-
ate and common sense views as to the
purposes to be achieved, which views
are so excellently set forth in the cir
culars to which have referred. There
is not the slightest intention to do
anything revolutionary or initiate any
far reaching policy. The purpose sim
ply is for the government, instead of
tagging behind popular sentiment, to
advance abreast of it 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 profound
schOlars-men of the stamp of Profes,
sor Lounsbury and Professor Skeat.
eff the slight changes in the spell
ing of the 300 words proposed wholly
or partially meet popular approval
then the changes will become perma
men without any reference to what
public officials or individual private
citizens may feel; if they do not ulti
mately meet with popular approval
they will be dropped and that is al
there is about it. They represent
nothing in the world but a very slight
extension of the movement which has
made agricultural implement makers
and farmers write 'plow' instead O.
plough, which has made most Amer
leans write honor" without the some
what absurd superfiuous ~ and which
is even now making people write pro
gram without the me, just as all PEG
pie who speak English now write bat,
set dim, sum and fish instead o
the Elizabethan bate 'sette,' "dim
me- 'summe' and fyshe'; which makes
us write public almanac ERA fan
tasy' and 'wag' H. inste5 If pu5lick
'almanack,' AGRA, 'phantasy' and 'wag
gon' of our great grandfathers.
1T is not an attack on the Language
of Shakespeare and Milton, because i
is in some instances a going back tt
the forms they used, and in Others
merely the extension of changes
which, as regards other words, havt
taken place since their time. It is no
at attempt to do anything far reaching
or sudden or violent, or, indeed, any
thing very great at all. 1t is merel!
an attempt to cast what slight weigh
can properly be cast upon the side o
popular forces which are endeavorini
to make our spelling a little less fool
ish and fantastic. Sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"