The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-01-09
EDISON AND HIS LIGHT,

It may beR fact that Edison has
succeeded in producing a light that
will put gas in the ehade and make
vast fortunes for himself and a few
associates; but if this shall prove true
it cannot relieve the " Wizard of
Menlo Park" from The charge of de-
grading his high and honorable pre-
fessioE as scientist and inventor By
employing it for selfish and ignoble
purposes. Periodically during the
past eighteen months attempts have
been made TO create a furore over the
electric light, and on every occasion
the effort has seemed to be to bear
gas stocks rather than do good 10 the
world in The way ofappIying a science
for the popular veal. It is to be
charged to the discredit of Mr.. Ed
son that he appears at ths bottom OF
all these rumors which have for their
purpose the injury of other peoples
property. Would the honorable IL
ventor and gifted scientist be guilty of
expressing himself as Edison did two
or three months ago: If there were
Anyone against wton I hsd specially
vicious feeling. I would try to load
him up with gas stock ?" II that
were toe remark Of q great man, his
greatness is dimmed by little and
mean traits.
It would not be right or justifable
to call Edison an impostor and
fraud. He has dug deep into
electric science and produced
many things OF incalculable
benefit to mankind; but his conduct
in the electric light business from the
beginning until The pre2ent time Ger.
tainly reflects severely upon the mans
character As IA honest aad honorable
person; aud whatever the success of
his alleged invention, he will have
difficulty il relieving himself from
the stigma Of using his name AID per
mit!iDs others to do the same, il
questionable speculative transactions.
If he were devoted to the pursuit Of
science, as he claims to be, he would |
care little about the effect of his light |
upon gas stocks; or If he did care, he
would not couple his every expression |
concerning his too long promised |
illumiaat)r with a threat to iniure /
others property. There is q species
OF mesnuess IN this course that so |
gifted : man ought not to be guilty of
countensncing.
1t Is worthy of remark that We
hear nothing reliable concerning the |
exhibition of Edison's invention which
began ten days ago. On New Years
Eve Menlo Park, n. J., Eilson's
home, was Illuminated by the electric
light, which had been perfected,
and Wss to mske p3upers OF gas conf
psnie5. Forty OF bis lamps were
lighted. and the display was said to
be brilliant IN the extreme. Some of
the sensational papers still claim that
the invention is a grand success.
and publish columns in praise of
it and It's author, but the Associated
Press, which bad SO much to say con-
corning The light before tie 3Ist ult.,
has been singularly dumb since then. !
Il is hoped the electric light is all
hat has bssn claimed for it. The
7orld should have better and cheaper
rtifcial light than gas; but the silence {
+ absolutely reliable newspapers ss to e
be Msnlo Park exhibition, and the .
dumbness of the Associated A
ress, together with Eiison's conduct n
lring the past year, are ominous. u
begins t. look as if the inventor, L
stead Of perle ting his light. has a.
zen engaged with Others in a huge th
Dek speculation. ga