The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-01-27
DISCIPLES OF FRANKLIN.

disciples of Benjamin Franklin, and
Saturday was the lS0ih anniversa-
~ of Franklin's birth. Tradition
has it that when the father of Amer
ican printing first entered Philadel-
phia he had loaf of bread under
each arm and was gnawing thru.
The tasteful decorations Of the big
dining room were lit up by the soft
glow of the electric lights, and flags
we're draped over the heads OF the
200 printers. :,
Over President Martins head
hung an OIL painting of Franklin, the
work of a French artist. In front of
him gas a structure in confection-
ery rearesenting the old screw press
on which the youthful Benjamin
twisted away SO much Of his sur
plus energy.
Among the letters ofregret receiv-
ed was the following from Oliver
Wendell Holmes:
/ regret that ! cannot have the
pleasure Of accepting the polite in
vitation which you have sent me on
behalf of the Typotheta to he with
them at the dinner celebration of
Franklin's birthday on the 18th of
January. / feel sure that the meet
ing OF the association Of artists must
prove a most enjoyable occasion.
/ call them artists. for they are not
workers ia Mosaic-the Mosaic
which pictures thought-and is not
the printed page of more worth than
the precious stone-picture that ever
came from the studios of Rome or
Florence? All honor to your noble
art, ard TO the memory of the illus
trious typesetter who welded two
of the mightiest agencies known TO
mortal hands-that which chains
the lightning of heaven and that
which uuchains the spirit of the
sons Of the earth.
Robert C. Winthrop wrote:
1 am highly honored in being in
cluded among the invited guests of
the Typotheta for their anu ual
celebration of Franklin's birthday.
No name is so worthy of being COM
memorated by the patriot printers
of our own country as that of Ben
jamin Franklin. | would gladly
unite in such a celebration. But
am constrained to deny myself, and
can only offer to the Typothete of
New York nay best thanks for their
kind remembrance Of me.
w. ID. Howells in his letter said :
As printer of many years expert
ence in our art, | should have been
glad and proud to unite with you
in holding the memory of the great
printer" Murat Halstead asked :
by the way, does it not seem a
mere oversight in Franklin that he
did not invent the electric telegraph |
and the telephone and things ?' To
John Bigelow's letter was appended
the following postscript:
Is it not about time for the
TypothetR to make 2 note of the
fact that the centennial anniversary
o. the death of Franklin will occur
on the 18th Of April, 1890. which is
only four years off? That leaves
none TO much time for making suit
able preparations for the proper eel !
ebration of such an anniversary.
When the solid portion of the
dinner had disappeared, the orches-
ira in the gallery had grown tired of
"Mikako" airs, and the time for
making speeches had come, Presi
dent Martin arose and said: ,
Gentlemen Of The Typotbeta and
Esteemed Guests 1t is now some
400 years since Gutenberg forged |
the key that opened every depart
ment Of learning to succeeding gen
erations. He commenced in a rude
crude way, but in fifty years after
the introduction of the art such |
names as those of Jenson and Cax-
ton arose, and even now, with all |
the fine specimens that the press is
turning of, their works are looked |
upon as treasures of hypothetical
art will always be more popular
Titan, Rembrandt and Raphael will |
ever take precedence of the profes-
sors ofthe art Of printing. Still there
is significance In the fact that
there is only difference of one let
ter between the words printed and |
painted. As men we have come
down 10 simpler fashions, but the
fashions of the press have steadily
advanced in delicacy and in the
fineness Of the finish of its work.
Commencing with the Riverside 1
Press, we have now HGrperS, The
Century and other works of the prin-
ters art, of which the press has no
reason to be ashamed. Printers are
becoming artists as well as mechan-
les. Our association has had much |
encouragement during the last year.
There is no jealousy or antagonism
among our members. We have no |
other end in view than that of pro-
noting the best interests of the trade.
We have had large accessions to
our membership since our last din
ner. 1t is only wonder that any
member Of the profession should |
bold himself aloff from our member
snip. We have here tonight gen.
tlemen who can address YOU in
terms far beyond anv at my COM
mand. We DO not honor Franklin |
especially as printer, but we honor
him because, being a printer, he
achieved so much in politics and |
philosophy. Having achieved great |
ness, be had further greatness thrust
upon him, not only by his country
men, bat by foreign Governments. |
Let me introduce Isaac Ii. Bailey,
who can tell you more about Frank |
lin than 1.
Mr.. Bailey sketched the early
life Of Franklin and added:
Franklin grew with astonishing
rapidity, and acquired knowledge
in way beyond the comprehension
of us who have had experience in
printing offices. He tired OF Boston.
Ii is difficult TO understand how
any one could tire of Boston but be
did. He went to Philadelphia and
immortalized himself as Poor
Richard. Then he went a step fur
ther and become a great statesmen
the greatest civil;an of his ora Tba