"A.C. W.," Columbus, O. - "(1) Is the use of 'who' or 'which' instead of 'that' after the superlative degree correct in such sentences as the following: 'He is the most successful executive who has ever held that office', or 'He is one of the most successful leaders who has ,' etc.; 'The American estate is the largest estate which any civilized people has ever,' etc; 'She was the best woman who ever exploited,' etc.? (2) Also, the use of had instead of would; as, 'The eyes had better be closed,' etc. (3) Goold Brown's rule, 'A future contingency is best expressed by a verb in the subjunctive present, a mere supposition with indefinite time by a verb in the subjunctive imperfect, but a conditional circumstance assumed as a fact requires the indicative mode, ' is constantly violated, has modern usage made such examples right or is grammar not so thoroughly taught now as formerly?"

(1) The relative that, tho usually equivalent to who or which, evidently differs from both in being more generally, and perhaps more appropiately, taken in the restrictive sense. It ought therefore to be preferred to who or which whenever an antecedent not otherwise limited is to be restricted by the relative clause. (2) "Had rather", "had better," are forms condemned by certain grammatical critics from the days of Samuel Johnson, the critics insisting upon the substitution of would or should, as the case may demand, for had; but had rather and had better are thoroughly established English idioms , having the almost universal popular and literary sanction of centuries. "I would rather not go" is undoubtedly correct when the purpose is to emphasize the element of choice or will in the matter; but in all ordinary cases "I had rather not go" has the merit of being idiomatic and easily and universally understood. If for "You had better stay at home" we substitute "You should better stay at home," an entirely different meaning is expressed, the idea of expediency giving place to that of obligation. (3) Grammarians are greatly at variance on the subject of the subjunctive mode, some even going to the length of denying its existence. A popular grammar gives this rule: "When doubt and futurity are both implied, use subjunctive mode, subjunctive form; when doubt only and not futurity is implied, use subjunctive mode, indicative form." Example: "If he be there tomorrow, I will go"; "If he is there to-day, all will be well." The modern tendency seems to be away from the use if the subjunctive form. Be and were are about the only surviving English subjunctive forms.