The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-14
DEF0RMEO SPELLING
GIVEN DEATH BLOW

Washington. Dec. 14.--President Roose-
veh has abandoned his official efforts In
behalf OF smplihed spelling. and the new
gstem received its deathblow, 80 far as
It's use by the government Is concerned
.ust before the house adjourned yester-
day
The president will at once withdraw
his simplihed spelling order TO the public
printer and hereafter all documents from
the executive departments will be printed
In the old-fashioned style,
Representative lands Of the joint
congressional committee on spelling had
conference yesterday with the president.
who said that he did not wish TO have
spelling overshadow matters OF great
Importance and expressed a willingness 10
revoke his order for the new spelling in
case the house of representatives should
60 on record as opposed 10 the system
Accordingly. late yesterday afternoon Mr.
lands introduced the following resolution
IN the house:
Resolved That it Is the sense OF the
house Of represe natives that hereafter,
In printing records. documents or other
publications authorized by law. ordered
or emanating from the executive depart
nents,, their branches or bureaus and in
dependent officers OF the government, the
government printing office should observe
end adhere 10 the standard OF or
biography prescribed in generally accept
ed dictionaries OF the English language"
The measure was passed without a
dissenting vote, although Mr. Gillett OF
Massachusetts,. who made tight for
smplihed spelling before tho house COM
mittee on appropriations and IL regarded
~ the champion OF the presidents atti-
tude, complained that he did not wish
90 give the impression that he had
changed his mind Mr.. Gillett said he
saw that the house was Overwhelmingly
against the innovation and consequently
ne bowed 10 It's viii.
The system Of reformed spelling was
put into effect by the president during
fhe recess OF congress, and all public
documents supplied TO the executive de-
partments have been printed I'm the sim
plihed way. These documents have been
pouring In on congress ever since the
opening day, muCh to the dissatisfaction
os large majority OF the members OF
the house. AS result the government
printing office was using two forms OF
spelling in public printing, the old method
Tor congress and the reformed method
IN the executive documents. This caused
CnnluSlon ana COMMENT unIdNoThDlf 10
the reform. and finally was made an issue
between the legislative and judicial de-
pArtments. the judicial departments hav-
ing previously frowned upon the presi-
dents order.
The committee on printing in fits favor
able report on the Lands resolution |
stated that the committee had been gov |
erned by the following considerations:
''In the various reprints OF the constitu-
tion OF the United States adherence TO the |
original spelling is found In the majority |
OF cases. The spelling i'm the original stat |
utes reflects the forms OF spelling in |
vogue at the time OF their enactment The |
various codifcatlons OF the statutes re- I
fleet the spelling I'm vogue at the time of |
the adoption OF such codihcatlons. The
last codihcation adopted was in 1873. The
subsequent statutes now number IL vol
umes, covering n period OF 2s years Each
volume reflects the spelling I'm vogue at
the time OF the enactment of the statues
embraced herein.
"A new codihcation Ia about to he pre-
sented to the congress. Until congress
shall sec fit TO order the printing OF this
proposed codihcation OF the statutes, en-
bracing all the enactments OF the law
making power OF the government now In |
force. in some form OF spelling other than
that generally accepted by the people IL |
would appear 10 be the part OF wisdom |
the interest OF simplicity and economy, /
TO adhere 70 a uniform. .spstem OF spelling, /
and the system should be the one already !
most generally recognized and accepted by |
the people
THE executive order, under which many |
public documents have already been print /
ed. has now been In force for more than I
three months. IL has been extensively ex- /
plotted and the public has had ample op-
portunity TO digest the arguments pre-
sented In its favor. Without taking issue
as 10 the relative merits OF any form OF
spelling, II is evident that public sentI-
ment, as reflected in the newspapers, mag
azines and other publications. has not
been favorable TO the proposed innova-
tion.
1T is therefore a condition and not a
theory with which congress has 10 deal
congress has no assurance, even IL IL
should leave present conditions undsturb-
ed, that the next succeeding admnistra-
tlon would not revoke the present order.
The sentiment in congress Is such that
IL must be taken without question that in
the printing done for congress the stand
ard dictionaries will continue 10 be the ac
cepted authority.
IF the government is 10 have two
forms OF spelling this will necessarily
mean double composition. double stereo-
typing and electrOtyping double proof
reading and other incidental expense.
In Justice 10 government officials II
may be said that an order which dictates
a particular form OF photography lnvolv-
ing a departure from the recognized
standard I'm popular use imposes upon the
head OF an executive department. as we'll
as upon all of his subordinates, a policy