The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-04-11
HIGH TIME To HANG HIM.
Sonae ConsiAsratl0nD EvokeA by lGf
EAisonss Latest InveneAOn.

EAisen's Latent Invenelon.
! From the New York Timea.
! Something ought to be done to Mr.
Edison. and there IL growing con
viction that It had hotter be done with
q hemp rope. Mr.. Edison has invent
ed too many things, and almost with
out exception they are things Of the
most deleterious character. He haa
been addicted to electricity for many
years, and it is not very long ago that
he became notorious for having dis.
covered new force though he haa
since kept it carefully concealed, ei'
Their upon his person or else ewhere
Recently he invented the phonograph
. machine that catches the Hghtest
whisper of conversation and stores Il
up 90 that at any future time It can be
brought out, to the coniusion Of the
original speaker. This machine will
eventually destroy all confidence be-
tween man and man, aud render more
dangerous than ever woman's want Of
confidence In woman. No man car
feel sure that wherever he may be
there is not concealed phonograph
remorselessly gathering up his re-
marks and ready to reproduce them at
some future date. Who will be will
ing even in the bosom of his family,
TO express any but most innocuous and
cOlorless views7 and what woman,
when calling on female friend, and
waiting for the latter to make her ap-
pearance in the drawing-room, will
dare to express her opinion of the
wretched taste displayed In the furni-
ture, or the hideous appearance of the
family photographs? In the days of
persecution and espionage it was said
though with poetical exaggeration,
that the walls had ears. Thanks to
Mr.. Edison's perverted ingenuity, this
has not only become . literal truth,
but every shelf, closet or floor may
now have its concealed Photographic
ears. No young man win venture to
carry on . private conversation with =
young lady, lest he should be filing .
concealed Photograph with evidence
that, in breach of promise suit,
would secure an immediate verdict
against him, and our very small bos Q
will fear to express themselves with
childish freedom, lest the photograph
should report them - having lightly
used the name of gosh, or Is having
threatened to sbust the snoot' of the
long-suifering governess. Tho phono.
graph was, at the time Of its invention
the most terrible example Of depraved
ingenuity that the world had seen !;
but Mr.. Edison has since reached =
still more conspicuous peak Of scieu.
tific infamy by inventing the nero
phone-an instrument far moro de.
vastating in its effects and fraught
with the destruction Of human society.
The aerophone is apparently . mod
ifcation of the phonograph. In fact,
It is . ph0nograph which conyerts
whispers into roars. IT, for example,
you mention, within hearing Of the
aerophone, that you regard Mr.. Hayes
as the greatest and beat man that
America has yet produced, that atroc-
ious instrnment may overwhelm you
with shame by repeating your remark
in . tone that can be heard no less
than four miles. Mr.. Edison, With
Characteristic effrontery, represents
this as q useful and beniflcent inven-
ton. He says that An aerophone can
be attached to locomotive aud that
with its aid the engineer can request
persons 10 'look out for The locoino-
tive who are nearing . railway cross.
ing four miles distAnt from the train.
He also boasts that he will attach an
aerophone to the gigantic statue of
Liberty which France is to present
to this country, provided We will
raise money enough to pay for It. and
the etatue will thus be able to wei.
come incoming vessels in the lower
bay, aud to warn them not to come TO
the city in case Mr.. Stanley Matthews
is delivering an 0rati0n on the cur
rency, or Mr.. Cox is making . comic
speech at Tammany hall. Were the
to be confined strictly to
these uses, it might prove = compare
lively unobjectionable instrument ;but
no man can loose whirlwind and
guarantee that its ravages will be con-
fined to Chicago, or to some other
place where it may do positive good.
This country has long suffered from
talk. Had nine-tenths of
our citizens who have been born dur
ing the last fifty years been absolutely
dumb. the republic would doubtless
have preserved lite pristine purity. 1t |
is the interminable talk of congress
men and other leading citizens that Is
the source Of all our public woes. Talk
10 also the bane Of private life. With |
dumb wives there would be no need
of divorce courts, aud with dumb hus-
bands home might become . blessed |
reality instead Of . poetic dream. And
rot, knowing full well that talk 10 .
of such hideous meaning that
o be hated needs only 10 be constant.
y heard, Mr.. Edison has devised an
instrument by which the range of con-
'ersatlon 10 extended from . few feet
o four miles.
Our present vocal powers are always
'sed TO their full capacity. Every
,ody talks with about the same vol
lme of voice, and whom the aerophone
comes into use, people will universal
y talk % loud a. the instrument will
permit. When ninety-nine people out
II hundred converse with the aero-
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