Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-08-11

and the Fastening Of communicate
by steam, the boastcd enlightenment
Of Europe, which had execrated th
: pains and penalties imposed on Gall
leo because he said that the Earil
moved around the Sun, shouted alou,
with rage and scorn. In the begin
: ming Of the XVIIth century, an Eng
lish nobleman, Lord Worcester, on
4. visit in Paris, took letter OF intro
duction TO the celebrated Marion
J Delorme, who could think OF nothing
better TO nmuse her distinguished
. guest than to conduct him TO the mad
\ house, which she evidently considered
the most curious thing in the Frencl
capital. There, bis lordship saw q
man shut up in miserable cell, who
kept screaming through the grating
OF his dungeon: "I am not crazy:
have discovered a machine that would
f enrich my conntryw This was Solo.
mon dc Cans, the steam inventor who
preceded Papin. But, then, he was,
after all, insane, to think that the
dullards Of his time could understand
him, or that the monopolists would
let him cut into their fat pickings
from the people.
Louis Figuier and others contest
the authenticity Of the anecdote, It's
true, but much the same thing has
been done 80 often that this story
may serve as fair illustration. Were
not George Stephenson and bis wicked
railroads denounced as diabolical in
the British Parliament, and assaiIed
by armed mobs in the countryY Why,
his surveyors and chain-bearers had
to go armed, and protected by the
sheriffs posse against rural fanaticism.
Was not Fulton styled, scarcely
half a century ago, and in this very
city, not merely madman but dan
geTous lunatic, because his ridiculous
fish-kettle" of a steamboat on the
Hudson was likely to imperil the lives
ofmany people, "beside bis own worth.
less neck" Fich-kettles like the
"Dean Richmond" and the "St. John"
on our inland rivers, and the Great
Daston," on the Ocean, count up many
gold and silver "fsh" to-dny Even
when steam navigation had triumphed
on fresh water, were not minds as ac-
complished as that of DIR. Lardner
still weak enough to sooff and scout
at the so styled ''preposterous propo-
SAL TO cross the Atlantic by the same
appliance?
When Oliver Evans, improving an
idea which Watt was enabled TO claim
for his own benefit, only after 35
years litigation, invented the high
pressure engine without a condenser,
and thereafter exhibited his model Of
n locomotive, only universal laughter
was his need
But, why multiply these citations
of testimony. The same story has
been rewritten from age to age.
Only the other day, the Electric
Telegraph, not merely on land, but
oh incredible monstrosity beneath
the raging sca-was the standing
joke Of all the witlings. Today, the
name Of Cyrus W. Field is an honor
to his country. The Pacific Railroad,
although completed, has not vet
emerged from the mists CT detraction
and abuse and every little simplcton
still finds something TO chuckle over
when one of the submits of all our
achievements, and the natural conse-
quence of those already attained, Is
declared to be the swift, safe, and easy
navigation Of the air Yet, the would
be satirists Of today will not hesitate
to solicit free board and passage on
the aerial steamship OF tomorrow
not they!
In fine, stupidity and selfish inter.
est are Just as blind or as malevolent
in our time, as ever, and it is only the
lack Of power that prevents them from
sustaining their opposition to progress
with the chain, the dungeon, and the
stake.
This hostility to inventive progress
is Protean, too 1t assumes any and
every shape, disguise, and pretext
Falling to make its point by claiming
privilege or proving folly, It pretends
10 appeal to the Interests Of NE toiling
masses. When Arkwright, the barber,
invented his cotton spinning machine,
The howl was raised that ii would de.
prive hosts of the laboring poor ofthe
means of substance. Wen, at that
lime, the cotton industry employed
$4,000 persons, and produced 5 mil
ions Of manufacture. A few years
ater it employed 100000 hands,
md yielded 900 millions of merchan.
iise.
Yet, with all these examples before
hem, men still assail the motives, as
we'll as the work, of all who would
facts for dreams reason for
1rgudice order for disorder, in tho
'xisting condition OF affairs. This
elichism for old things is worthy of
III respect, and even admirable, when
{ has TO do with tho immutable con-
erns of the soul and the heart; but,
when it is brought TO bear upon tho
veryday affairs of life, il is unbecom-
ng to an age of boasted light
Without presuming TO stand even
within the portico Of the temple
Phero the august names of the great
riginators, discoverers, and inventors
re inscribed, we, too. have dared to
tack some of the idols Of human
and we have had our share
I wondering incredu6ty to meet.
lut our course is onward and up
iard, for we have not failed to read
q the history of the past that "God
) with those who labor, aud, above
II, with those who labor for the great
st good Of the greatest number -
Y Y. Mercantile Journal.
An old lady, a resident of Provi-
enoc, who had never ridden in the