The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-09-07
(By Sheldon S Cli2a..

Has the thought-tO be invincibIe
Roosevelt bH2l list IN the pctsri
Of spelling reform? Is phonetism or
anti-phOnetism to become an issue pe-
tween the parties?
1t IS easy 10 imagine aspirants COR
presidential hOnOrs asking these cues
tons Of themselves. And what a
~boundlcss field for speculation it opens
up! II Mr.. Roosevelt is to be the
republican nominee in 1908, as a great
many good people are convinced ne
Will be. a decent regard for the SEEM
illness Of things would require that the
national platform be written phone
tlcaIly, thus officially committing the
republican party 70 the Carnegie school
OF spelling. And here would Opp0r-
tunlty knock at the democratic doOri
A Stralght-Out plank in the democratic
platform declaring against any preSi-
dental mOnkeying with the kings
English would rally to the cause good
ness knows how many republican vOt-
erS h had q hard enough line learn
ing to spell once, and who would Ta;h-
er risk a democratic administration
than tackle the job again.
OF course, it may not come to such a
pass as this, but just now spelling of
the railroads has become cheap and
common alongside the regulation Of
yOWcls and c~OnSOnants. Even the mat
ter Of governmental ownership of
transportation lines has been forced
10 Il rear seat by the question of Mr..
ROOSeVeItS ownership Of the English
language.
A prominent enatOr suggests that
the president should be known 10
future generations as Roosevelt the
Regulator He has forced congress to
regulate railroad rates, and congress
claims it really enjoyed the job; he is
sued a preachment for the regulation
OF the size of the American families.
and a good many American IN
made no p~retenSe of enjoying it; and
now he has set out t regulate the
English language, despite the clam
Oring of pedantic professors and the
bowling of the British Ion. What
have the English got to say, anyhow
about how English shall be written?
Not in old England, but in Young
America, IS planted the seed hat is
to save the tongue Of Shakespeare from
Joining gOhStly legiOnS where march
the Greek, the Latin, the Hebraic, and
other languages that have no place IN
the world of living things. These are
the days of the strenuous life, and
there is no thing, from a mans relig-
ion to the color of his hair, that ma
not be made the subject of m~agisterial
supervision.
There may be those who will as
sumo that the foregoing was written
in Il spirit OF levity. Without affima-
tiGn or denial as to that, here is some
thing presented in ali seriousness
when congress cOnvenes next fall there
is likely to be the very deuce Of a time
over Mr.. ROOsevelt's spelling reform.
The executive departments, of course,
will spell phOnetically, as the prcsi-
dent directs. But the president cannot
direct as TO how congress shall do its
spelling. AT least congress is not
obliged to obey his directions.
A situation will be presented Of
communications from the president
and executive departments going 10
congress spelled Theoretically, and
when they are printed by order of
congress, in the Record or otherwise,
they will re-appear in old-fashiOned
English. The public printer cannot
do the printing of congress in the Car
ne@ie-RoOseyelt style unless congress
by resolution 50 directs. 1t is not
to be doubted that some Jealous friend
Of the administrations will introduce
in senate or house such a resolution.
The Pand0ra's box Will be open. am
there will be a debate fit for the gods
and the laughter OF nations. Imagine
the smooth. oily. singing, biting sar-
ca>m Of John Sharp Williams: think of
the ~javeIin thIusts and hammer blows
OF Ben Tillman; look forward to III
pOndOruus arguments of Joe Bailey as
TO the constitUtiOnality Of through az
thru. And when Won think Of these
things. does the suggestion that phone
tiSm may become an ISSUE between
the PARTIES sound so hOckingly Out Of
place
And if Williams and Tillman and
Bailey attack the presidents spelling
reform. Will not Lodge and Knox and
SroOupr rush 70 its defense? And
what else. pray you, is required 10
create q political issue, than the giants
of one party arguing for and the giants
of the other party arguing against a
thing?
go far as human e-e can discern On
that horizon # the future which The
energy Of 4 Roosevelt has made 50
full If promise of spectacular thln2s,
there is just one chance that the re-
publican party may escape standing
for. and the democratic rarity against,
reforming the English language. II
lies in the possibility that there may
be effected that ~rea'ignment o. he
uirt;es Of which We have heard 50
much. If 2 considerable faction o.
republicans refuse Carneg.esm and a
considerable faction Of democrats le-
refuse to "Dr 0se it. then may come
the breakup which other issues have
threatened. lux eve adhered.
Shall the parties of the future be
known as the PhOnetics and Anti
Ph01etics. or would Carneg .eiSts and