Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-09-11
10 YEARS OF ESPERANTO.
The Progress Of tae Universal Lam
quage in America and Elsewhere.

Tho Progress Of tAe Universal Lam
guage in America and Elsewhere.
The first society devoted to the
study of Esperanto was organized in
ct. Petersburg in 1894. 1t did very
little work, however. Into France
Esperanto made its way as early as
1883, one year after its publication.
1t there came to the notice Of that
fine scholar, linguist and traveller the
Marquis de Beaufort He had been
thinking himself upon the problem of
universal language. After twelve
years of work h created the Ian
guage "Adjuvanto the helper; its
idea being much like that Of Esperan-
to. He found that Esperanto was in
many respects superior to his own.
and so he gave up his own Adjuvanto,
though It had represented so much of
his life work. He compiled a text
book of French in Esperanto, which
he published in 1892, and in 1898
formed society for the study of Es-
peranto. The Paris exposition brought
great many SCHOLARS to France, and
the French Esperanto society made
an effort to bring it to their notice.
They succeeded in this to large ex-
tent, and since then Esperanto has
been spreading rapidly ali over Eu-
rope. There are now 100 clubs in
F'rauce devoted to the propaganda of
Esperanto, all connected with the
central society. Esperanto is being
taught in the army and navy officers
of France; and there is now a bill
which has good prospects of being
passed before the assembly providing
for the teaching of Esperanto in
schools of France like any other Ian
guage. TheIo are now 100 clubs in
England, but Esperanto maze little
progress until 1902, about which time
it was taken up by w. t. Stead. The
London chamber of commerce now
gives examinations in Esperanto just
as in any other language.
In America Esperanto has not
been growing so rapidly, the trouble
seeming to be that it has not been
brought sufficiently before the public
| notice. Secretary Root has told me,
however, that he thinks seriously of
introducing it as a requirement of
preparation for the consular service.
There have been two international
congresses held. The first was at
| "a In, ~ til ~,
| Zamenhof was decorated with the
cross of the Legion of Honor. That in
Geneva last year was attended by
representatives of twenty-eight ma
lions. 1t was most impressive sight
to see them all gathered in one of the
churches of the city for services in
! Esperanto. The next congress Is to
| be he at Cambridge. August 10, and
Is considered most important as an
opportunity of bringing ESPERANTO be-
for the English-speaking world
You can readily see the purpose OF
! Esperanto in its commercial and
| scientific aspects. and for purposes OF
travel. It's usefulness there is very
4 Jul Tic IbuiuET OF DeTHnLD
had another object in view. to make
the nations OF the earth Arothers. r
ideal object of Esperanto is the rr.4
motion of human justice and brother
hood. and whatever may make to a
better understanding among the ma
tons of earth. We ere working for
treaties. for arbitration. but mutual
understanding by means Of common
language would do more than all the
treaties In the wor /. Perhaps this
object in Esperanto may fill you with
more enthusiasm than the more gen.
eral purposes. DR.. Zamenhof is very
DESTROYS that We Americans. with our
enthusiasm and our strength of a ma
ton. should take II M. He feels that
1t is not merely orr Pan-Americau
but our worldwide position that calls
upon us to be leaders. In a pamphlet
: addressed to US he says: o American