The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-09-07
new SPELLING ONLY ON TRIAL
President Roosevelt Explains Meaning
of Recent Order.

Oyster Bay, N. Y, (SpeciaD In
letter to Charles A. Stillings, public
printer at Washington, just made
public, President Roosevelt wrote
that if the changes in spelling adj
vocated by the Simplified Spelling
Board and put into use in otllciai
documents meet popular approval
they will be made permanent. II
not. he wrote, they will be dropped.
The Presidents letter follows:
Hon. Charles A. Stillings,
Public Printer,
Washington, d. G.
MY Dear Mr.. Stillings: / inclose
herewith copies of certain circulars
of the Simplified Spelling Board,
which can be obtained free from the
board at No. Madison Avenue, New
York City. Please herafter direct
that in all government publications
of the executive departments the 300
words enumerated in circular Mo-
shall be spelled as therein set forth.
IL anyone asks the reason for the
action, refer him to circulars 8, 4
| and 6, as issued by the Simplified
Spelling Board.
Most of the criticism of the pro-
posed step is evidently made In en-
tire ignorance of what the step is, no
| less than in entire ignorance OF the
very moderate and commoI-sense
| views as to the purposes to be achiev-
ed, which views are so eXcellently set
forth in the circulars to which |
have referred.
There is not the slightest intention
to do anything revolutionary or lnl-
tiate any far-reaching policy. The
purpose simply is for the govern
ment, instead of tagging behind popu-
lar sentiment, to advance abreast OF
it, and at the same time abreast of
the views of the ablest and most prac-
teal educators of our time, as well
as the most profound scholars-men
of the stamp of Professor Lounsbury
and Professor Skeat.
If the slight changes in the spell
ing of the 800 words proposed wholly
or partially meet popular approval,
then the changes will become per-
manent without any reference to
what public officials or individual
private CITIZENS may feel; if they do
not ultimately meet with popular ap-
proval they will be dropt and that is
all there is about it.
They represent nothing in the
world but a very slight extension Of
the unconscious movement which
has made agricultural implement
makers and farmers write 'plow'' in
stead of plough" which has made
most Americans write honor" with
out the somewhat absurd, superfiu-
Gus Gu" and which is even now MAX
ing people write program" without
the "me," just as all people who
speak English now write bat, !"
"set," "dim," sum" and fish" in
stead of the Elizabethan battle"
"sette," "dimme,'' "summe" and
"fysshe;" which makes us write
public almanac" ezra" fan
tasy'' and wagon" instead of the
"publick, "almanack, "aera," 'phan-
tasy' and Wagon" of our great
grandfathers.
1t is not an attack on the language
of Shakespeare and Milton, because
it is in some instances going back
to the forms they used and in others
merely the extension of changes
which, as regards other words, have
taken place since their time. 1t is
not an attempt to do any thing far
reaching or sudden or violent, or,
indeed, anything very great at all.
1t is merely an attempt to cast
what slight weight can properly be
cast on the side of the popular forces
which are endeavoring to make our
smelling a little less foolish and fan
tastic.
Sincerely yours,
Theodore Roosevelt.