Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-09-27
'TWAIN'S APPEAL.
The Veteran Author Asks the Az.
sociated Press to Use the
Simpliied Spelling.
FOR THE GOOD OF THEWORLD
Try 1t Three honths and Present
Raised Forms Would ne Gro-
tesQue to the Eye and Re-
volting To the sonl.

New York, Sept, 20.-The annua
meeting of members of the Associates
Press was held In this city Wednes
day. Important matters In connection
with the service were disposed Of
Wednesday night the members, who
included publishers, editors and Other
representatives Of papers taking the
Associated Press met with several
guests at dinner ct the Waldorf Aston
ia
Melville n. Stone. general monogeE
Of the Associated Press, presided, and
with him at the guests table were
Samuel L. Clemens, who discussed
reform spelling; General Horace
Porter. former ambassador to France,
who responded 10 the toast -FOUR
Guests; Henry A. Shute, author, who
talked Of Critics." and Prof. George
p. Vinvent of the University Of Chi.
cagO who spoke on the subject Pure
" Academic"
Mr.. Clemens spoke In characteristic
vein. H said In part:
Il am here TO make an appeal to tho
nations. In behalf Of the simplified
spelling. | have come here because
they can not all be reached except
through you. There are only two for
ces that can carry light to all the
corners Of the globe-only two-rhe
sun In the heavens and the Associated
Press down here. / may seem to be
nattering the sun but ! do not mean 1t
so, am meaning only to be just and
fair all around. You speak with a
million voices: no one can reach 80
many races, so many hearts and in
tellects as you, except Rudyard Kip
ling, and he can not do II without your
help. If the Associated Press will &C.
cept and use our simplified forms
and thus spread them to the ends Of
the earth, covering the whole spacious
planet with them as with a garden OF
flowers our difficulties are at an emo.
Every day Of the S65 the only
pages Of the worlds countless news.
papers that are read by all the human
beings and angels and devils that caA
read, are those papers that are built |
out Of Associated Press dispatches.
And so | beg you, beseech you--oh, | |
implore you--to spell them In our |
simplified forms. Do this daily, con.
Stantly persistently, for three months
only three months--it Ia ell | ask.
The infallible result, victory, victory,
iii down the line.
For by that time all eyes here and
lbove and below will have become
adjusted to the change and in love
With II, and the present clumsy and
aged forms will be grotesqpe to the
we and revolving to the soul. And
70 shall be rid Of phthisis, phthisic
nd pneumonia and pneumatics and
iphtheria and pteradactyl and all
hose other insane words which no
nan addicted to the simple Christian ]
fe can try to spell and not lose some !
the bloom Of his piety in the de- !
loralizing attemDt M NOT doubt H.
We are cnameIedns and our PARTIAL 9
les and prejudices change places B
18th an easy and blessed facility, 4
nd we are soon wonted to the change '
nd happy in It. We do not regret our l
ID yellow fangs and snags and tush.
J after we have worn nice fresh, uni
'rrn store teeth awhile.
"Simplified spelling can convey any !,
yet you need to convey; and 1t can
our out emotions like sewer. l
sg you, / beseech you, to adopt our /,
,elling and print all your dispatches n
IT," q
In conclusion Mark Twain said: N
Nov you see before you the wreck Il
Id ruin Of what was once young 81
,rson like yourself. / am exhausted C
7 the heat Of the day, / must take 7
hat is left Of this wreck and ruin
It of your presence and carry 1t to
y home and spread It out there and b.
sep the sleep Of the righteous. u
here Is nothing much left Of me but Il
' age and my righteousness, but &C
I'VE with you my love and my bless. u
:, and may you always keep your u
nth" 81