A MAN OF IDEAS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8793, 3 December 1906, Page 2

A MAN OF IDEAS.

TO' THE EDIXOK. Sir, — Really some of the letters appearing in. your valuable papar are excruciatingly funny, and must draw a smile even, from the. mcst sedate. I do not know whether the letters appearing over the signature "J. H. Newlyn" (which I presume is a nomde plume) are intended to be humorous or serious^ but if the writer cannot see how ludicrous ■ some of his statements are he must be absolutely devoid of all sense of the absurd. His latest claim is that President Roosevelt meanly filched his idea 6 regarding phonetic spelling. Such petty pilfering is. very objectionable in'every way, especially when committed by one occupying such a- prominent position } and when our cousins in the United States realise that their President has audaciously appropriated the ideas of a Jtfew Zealander— a foreigner — and put them forth to the world as his own, the head ' of the great Republic will, no doubt, be quickly brought to realise the enormity of his crime. But if PresidentRoosevelt is guilty of purloining ideas from "J. H. Newlyn," I am afraid there are others equally blamable, and it makes one's blood boil to think how many reputations have been built up on. ideas incubated by " J. H. Newlyn/' Indeed, this gentleman appeare to be^ a veritable manufactory of ideas — that is, of course, if we accept "J. H. Newlyn 3> as an authority. So far this modern wizard has not jrablicly claimed to have suggested the construction of the Ark and a few other original ideas of ancient times, but to the honour of having originated all modern ideas that have proved of the least utility he has unhesitatingly laid claim. Phonetic spelling is, of course, one of the lesser ideas of "J. H. Newlyn." Among other ideas which had their origin in the brain of this modern marvel are the Simmer Canal, the electrification of the Port line, harnessing the Waimakariri, cheap money, the Exhibition, crematoria. , the plan of campaign, adopted by Kitchener to end the South African war, Japanese naval strategy at Tsushima, and a scheme for the propulsion of vessels by tEe actionof the waves. The savins: appears to be still true that the x world does not know her greatest men. or ai any rate does not appreciate them. But we must not for set that many other of the world's geniuses were not appreciated in this mundane sphere as they ou«cht to have been, considering their pplendid. achieveTnen+s. Homer and Socrates, and the Christian Apostles, /bej'ioior. to the old^ctay/s. Roerer Bscon and Galileo lansruid»ed in pries+lv dunpeons; Tns»?r> pineal in a-, madhouse* n^^noens died be<rarii*o* in t!he street? of T.?flboTi. So nesrlen+ed, co v nenesc'ited tbev the- prophets." not in .Tiidea only, but in all places where men have been. — T am. etc., AJAX. Christchnroh. December 3.