Changes

Roosevelt enjoyed support in newspapers, particularly among "muckrakers".  Muckrakers were journalists who sensationalized the bad parts of big business and machine politics.  Whenever Roosevelt "took on" big business, he was glorified in the papers and he probably enjoyed that.

Roosevelt enjoyed support in newspapers, particularly among "muckrakers".  Muckrakers were journalists who sensationalized the bad parts of big business and machine politics.  Whenever Roosevelt "took on" big business, he was glorified in the papers and he probably enjoyed that.

But he was occasionally ridiculed too.  In 1906, Andrew Carnegie proposed simplifying English so that it could become the most popular language for the entire worl.<ref>http://history1900s.about.com/od/1900s/qt/trspelling.htm</ref>  He set up the "Simplified Spelling Board" and placed famous Americans like Mark Twain on it to simplify the spelling of words like "ghost" ("gost") to make it easier for the rest of the world to learn and use.

But he was occasionally ridiculed too.  In 1906, Andrew Carnegie proposed simplifying English so that it could become the most popular language for the entire world.<ref>http://history1900s.about.com/od/1900s/qt/trspelling.htm</ref>  He set up the "Simplified Spelling Board" and placed famous Americans like Mark Twain on it to simplify the spelling of words like "ghost" ("gost") to make it easier for the rest of the world to learn and use.

Roosevelt was enthralled with this idea, and with his typically naive gusto embraced it completely.  He quietly ordered United States Government Printing Office on August 27, 1906. In this letter, Roosevelt ordered the Government Printing Office to use the new spellings of 300 words as recommended by the Simplified Spelling Board.  Newspapers, when they saw the result, mercilessly ridiculed Roosevelt's action in -- you guessed it -- political cartoons. Congress was angry for not being asked to approve this, and in December 1906 passed a resolution saying it would use the dictionary instead.  Roosevelt had to sheepishly retract his order.  Today many of the "new spellings" have been adopted by common usage.

Roosevelt was enthralled with this idea, and with his typically naive gusto embraced it completely.  He quietly ordered United States Government Printing Office on August 27, 1906. In this letter, Roosevelt ordered the Government Printing Office to use the new spellings of 300 words as recommended by the Simplified Spelling Board.  Newspapers, when they saw the result, mercilessly ridiculed Roosevelt's action in -- you guessed it -- political cartoons. Congress was angry for not being asked to approve this, and in December 1906 passed a resolution saying it would use the dictionary instead.  Roosevelt had to sheepishly retract his order.  Today many of the "new spellings" have been adopted by common usage.