The Washington herald., 1906-11-12

New York. Nov. 11.-Whether or not the
war among the simple spoilers will be
serious depends largely upon what the
executive committee Of the simple spell
ing board does Wednesday about the res
ignation Of President Jordan. the presi-
dent Of Leland Stanford University The
resignation has been in the hands Of
Prof. Brander Matthews. Of Columbia.
chairman of the committee, for three
weeks. but the announcement Of it came
out by way Of San Francisco.
Prof. Matthews said to-day that he be-
lieved the resignation had been caused by
a misapprehensiOn. Prof. Jordan said that
there was too much Matthews and too
much Prof. Calvin Thomas, who is a Ger
man professor of Columbia, to suit mem
bers Of the advisory board who really
wanted to advise.
Prof Matthews says that that Is not
really so, and Charles Z. Sprague, the lay
member and treasurer Of the executive
committee, said to-day that some one had
TO do the work. anyway
Refrains from Personalities.
II don't want to discuss the matter at
all. said Prof. Matthews at hts home to-
day. i don't believe in entering into per-
sonalities in an affair Ike this. I have
nothing to say. But If you will read the
announcement Of the simplihed spelling
board anent the 200 words which Presi-
dent Jordan says were changed, you will
see that these words are merely those
which have for years been published in
fba fh~ca d{o4fo,.rfa- rEreLes,~s- IT.
Standard. and the Century. as variants
We simply decided on which form was the
simplest and so stated in the announce
ment
President Roosevelt threw his weight
in favor Of the simpler variants. That
is all I don't want TO enter into a dis
eussion Of the personal side Of the argu-
ment / don't want TO say anything for
publication that may be construed into
an answer 10 Prof. Jordan"
What do you think Prof Thomas will
have to say about the accusations that
you are running the thing TO suit your
selves2"
Nothing, If I can get 20 hin. Sefore
you do" was the answer
Prof. Matthews was right.
Charles L. Sprague. who IS treasurer
OF the funds OF the board, which he saws
are mostly contributed by Andrew Carne-
gle, read the article from San Francisco
to-day.
Work Had to BE Done.
Il don't think that Prof. Jordan IS
right" he said. Some one has 10 do
the work in a case like this. All that we
have done was to set forth our ideas Of
the proper choice in the words that are
used as variants. The board has thirty
or forty members scattered about all over
this country, Canada, and England We
can't get 10 them all for their opinions.
That is what the executive committee is
for.
The first announcement did not contain
all the things that I would have liked
10 see in IL For instance, take words
ike receive and believe. In those words
the + is unnecessary, and a source Of
bother. That T. offends and should be
plucked out. OF course, there is a rule
about i before e. except after C. but
you never know which is the butt end
Of that rule, and you are apt 10 make a
mistake. ] think that that should have
been one OF the first things changed"
Mr.. SpTague said that he was sorry that
Prof. Jordan had sent his resignation, but
that he felt sure that the professor would
work with the board IN spirit even If not
a member.