Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-09-20

Well gentle reader, it is this: Taboo
the brick walk for public highways:
no good-most expensive in the end.
If you have one in front of your resi-
dence already, just buy or borrow
pillow and rip it up. Put down cement:
thus save the pedestrians of your city
much inconvenience. 1t will improve
the looks of your property and your
town. You will be. blessed by the
walking majority. Get-to work with
a pillow and you may be created leader.
Extended experiments in the national
capital prove that this is no fiction.
A census of the population of
Washington shows in round numbers
100000 negroe residents here. The
blacks supply many disagreeable Incl
dents for the daily grind and an
occasional amusing one. A few
mornings ago portly lady of color,
accompanied by a large basket of
clothes, hailed suburban car. She
had placed her basket on the ground,
intending to hand it on the car when
she got aboard. The Car stopped for
the waShlady, but just as she was
about to get aboard the conductor put
his hand on the bell-cord. The
colored nanny, suppoSing he was
about to start the car and leave her
basket, actually startled the passen-
gers in 1he car who had not noticed
by shouting: "Hor on dab, Mister
Conductor, till 1 gifts nah close on.'
The conductor held on.
x
President Roosevelt has Endorsed
simplified spelling in Executive papers,
public documents, and Departmental
printing. Though we have been
looking expectantly for new orders at
the Government Printing office, no
instructions to observe the phonetic
style have been received to date. The
old way is still in use. Comment
upon this matter is general over the
country las it necessarily should be-
some criticisms being serious, Others
humorous, some in praise and others
/ in condemnation. LondOners and
English newspapers are almost a unit
IN severe opposition to what they
term move toward wantOn deS-
| truction of the English language.
But someone suggests: Lets have a
United States language, anyway. AS
for me, let the wise boys settle it
among themselves. At present no
| orders are binding aSto how it shall
be spelt in the personal correspon-
| dence of American citizens. Every
one has a right to his owf10pinIOn. If
he prefers cumbersome com pIexity he
can use it. If lie prefers the direct,
lshorter spelling,none will say him nay.
No doubt those who want our Ian
guage revamped have some good
reasons to offer. For instance when
two trains come togetherits a coils
Lion. When two babies come together
its twins Paying fare to a5tferryman
is ferriage, but paying fare to a cab
man is not cabbage. And SO on.
z
A lawyer in this city has announced
that the presidents order is probably
illegal. The attorney seems to have
discovered that congress passed law
several years ago making Webster
standard authority for all Spelling in
government works. If this be correct.
then the later ideas must rest on
| their oars in official printing until an
act of congress shall approve and
direct in the Simplifed direction.
''This worlds fleeting show. There
is ever varying fortune for the hum
BILE and the proud. Some have their
chairs reserved and some must stand
up with the crowd" If there is such
thing as advance reservation of the