The Helena independent., 1893-12-03
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Nlcptricity.


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4 4. Especial rrespoNdencel
Il NEW YonK, NOV, q. Governox Flower
" New York state does not pretend to b.
] anything Of rhetorician, nor has he evel
studied any of the rules laid down in tho
I books by which 1t III said that a.pcrson can
make Of himself an Interesting public
speaker. Yet during the last four or five
weeks the governor has been making a So
ries OF speeches throughout New York state
& which ought to be collected and printed.
since they are Of interest and Importance to
every person in the United States who de-
pends for his livelihood upon agriculture.
Governor Flower in these addresses has
insisted that the best farming, the most
businesslike cultivation of the SOIL may
] prove Of no avail to the farmer unless there
are good roads, so that he may convey the
pr0duct.of the soil to the nearest transpor~
tation place with the least cost. The gov
ernor's idea ia that there has been very
great wastage and unconscious extrava-
gance all over the United States on ac-
count Of poor roads. and he has said to the
people OF New York that he believes it
would be economy for the townships to
combine with the state to construct every
where throughout the state public high
ways that will be smooth, unaffected by
the Observation-Disclosures perimanent-of easy
grades, SO that the cost not only Of trans
porting the product Of the farms to the
nearest railway or canal stations would be
reduced, but also the wear and tear upon
farmers vehicles. upon horses and draft
1sao ofc ho 0xv A.
reducing expense
These speeches, while, they may have no
rhetorical interest nor Assdse charms which
are furnished by great orators, neverthe-
less may have had a permanent and imme-
diate influence, which after all is the true
test Of oratory. For it is quite likely that
the legislature of the state of New York
will appropriate money that, in coniunc-
ticn with proportionate appropriations by
the townships OF the state, within the
next five or six years will pay the ex-
penses Of furnishing New York state from
one end to the other with public HIGHWAYS
which are as perfect in their construction
and appointments as are those of the rail
ways.
Recently Governor Flower met a number
of gentlemen who represented capitalists
controlling in the aggregate probably half
4 billion dollars in the suburbs of the city
of Rochester, and it was the law partner of
President Cleveland, or rather the lawyer
who had such association with the presi
dent inithe fcur years between his first and
second term, who said that he had heard
many thrilling and powerful orations, but
after all he had never heard one that was
Of SO mighty consequence and suggestion
to the American people as that one which
Governor Flower delivered upon that occa-
sion.
The governor and the party were more
than 100 miles from Niagara falls. They
were standing upon a canalboat Over the
canal and about half way between either
bank there had been put up wires such as
those who have seen the trolley railways
In cities in operation are familiar with.
The governor, Mr.. Francis Lynde Stetson,
the recent law partner of President Cleve-
land; the president Of the New York Pro-
duce Exchange; Mr.. Thomas, that veteran
telegrapher, who, with General Eckert
and General Anson Stager, was the first to
send messages over the wires after Morse
had demonstrated the commercial avail
ability of his invention; Mr.. Balch, DR.,
Coleman Sellers, one Of the greatest
mechanical engineers of the world; Nicola
tOl
electricity have almost rivaled those Of
Edison; George Westinghouse, who is one
of the most marvellous and interesting de-
velcpers in his career of these later days Of
the nineteenth century, and many other
men, representing great achievements and
great capital, stood upon this canalboat, and
when the electric power was transmitted
to the wires all of them, with enthusiasm
OF speech. said that the American business
world was on the era of q new develop
ment For it was made plain that the trolley
system was as available for canalboats az
1t is for street cars, and the farreaching
and momentous consequences of that devel-
opment to the American people, and espe-
cially to the farmers of the far west, can
hardly be appreciated.
Governor Flower in his speech, simple in
words without adornment, but having the
highest enthusiasm of eloquence, sincerity
and earnestness, said that with good roads
in every state and with the demonstration
that electricity was available for the pro-
pulson of canalboats, the American people
stand on the threshold of a new era, and
one which promises greater prosperity than
any which they have experienced in the
past. The extraordinary suggestion of |
these experiments was that by the use Of ,
bhe force OF Niagara falls, and a quantity
of water which would decrease the flow
over the falls less than two inches, or an
amount not appreciable to the eye, there
can be furnished power which will carry
5he wheat and grain of the prairies of the
west to the markets and furnish the cheap
EST transportation for other products.
1t was said at that gathering that before
,he beginning of the twentieth century it |
was probable that the power which has
gone to waste for the 100 years since the
United States became nation would now
that it had been captured, furnish light,
leat, and driving force for the states of |
New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, as we'll as
,he greater part of lower Canada.
4. j. EDWARDS