Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1907-02-28
NEED FIXED RULES
WARRINGTON MAN TALKS OF SIM.
PLtFlEp SPELLING.
One Basis Of Authority an Absolute
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Rules Of
orthooraphy Properly Should
Govern,

Speaking about simplified spelling,
and the confusion which may result
from the spelling of certain words one
way in the department correspondence
and another in congressional matters,
I am reminded Of an instance of de-
partmental spelling which recently
came under my observation" said
correspondent to a Washington Star
reporter.
Il received a letter from bureau
chief containing two additional docu-
ments, and at the foot of the dictated
pages appeared these two words spell
ed as given: Two enclosures
I'VE must take something as fixed
basis OF authority in matters of orthog.
raphy. tits all we'll enough to theorize
about happy-go.lucky.any.old-style
OF spelling, but even the simplifed
spelling advocates fix upon certain
"ell-defned rules. Hence, in the spell
ing Of the word Enclosure with an 'e'
authoritative rules of photography
are departed from, In that all of the
latest editions Of the recognized die.
ttonaries spell the word with an t.
and not with an e. except as an inser-
ton OF the word in the books as q
cross-reference to the accepted and
defined word inclosure.'
The spelling of the word Enclosure
with an e. is, to my mind, just as in.
defensible and without proper philo.
logical authority as would be the spell.
ing Of indorse' with an e. or any
Of the other numerous instances of
words properly beginning with the in.
ttal T. Probably the most prominent
Of these words is inquiry Just be.
cause several newspapers, for the pur.
pose of individuality, and without or.
biographical authority, spell the word
inquirer as enquirer" some of the
more thoughtless in the spelling OF
this word have assumed that such OF.
biography Of the word was sanctioned
by the authorities upon language, so
they proceed to spell inquiry as zen
quiry.'
"of course. II. as some persons seem
to think. accepted rules Of photography
and the standard dictionaries don't
count, then this criticism fails, but.
am glad to say there are still few
of us in school and out who adhere to
the rules prescribed by what have
from time immemorial been the recog
nized sources Of information upon this
subject. Indeed, it may be said with
truth that 1t is lucky for the stability
Of our language that such is the case
for. as faulty as it may be in some re-
spects as regards the photography Of
certain of Its words, It is fortunate
thing that 1t Is not open to the sledge
hammer assaults of some master
minds who would seek to mold it tc
meet individual views.
Therefore. have often thought
that some Of the departments Nigh,
employ to advantage the services Of
some one well qualified for the work
who would pass upon some of the
effusions published, to the end thai
improvement be made along the lines
suggested. and also along those Of
punctuation.
"In view of the many hands through
which these letters and documents
must pass perhaps they may be said
to answer the purpose, but it is Ger
tain that in those departments where
the e. and not the T. are sanctioned
and in other instances. trifling item
to pay for dictionaries and other au
thorities on language might be tackled
on the departmental appropriation
bills, especially in view Of the fac,
that congress stands committed t.
abide by the rules Of the photography
therein"