The morning call., 1894-01-18
Franklin as a Statesman,

w. Greer Harrison said: Before dis
cussing Franklin al a statesman one must
understand what are the qualifications.
There is the same difference between a
statesman and a politician as between a
scientist and an ordinary man of business.
A scientist must be unprejudiced and
must love science solely because it demon
strates truth; a statesman, while he loves
his own country, must be bro ad-mlnded IN
regard TO other countries. In his actions
he must follow principle rather than eX-
pedIence and must in truth possess all the
qualities essential TO greatness in other
pursuits. lie must be keen judge of
human nature and must love his fellow
beings.
Franklin possessed all the necessary
qualifications. His birth, self-education
and surroundings were all calculated TO
develop his intellectual qualifications.
His first Indication of statesman's quail
ity was in his plan for federating the COL
Ouies, which was approved by them but re-
jected by the Board of Trade in London.
Again, when in England, be foretold that
taxation without representation would
lead to revolution, but MS protest was re-
ceiVed with laughter. No man was more
determined TO carry out the principles OF
The Declaration of Independence, and no
man reader 10 agree TO just terms OF peace.
The signing of The Declaration was a hard
wrench, but il was done on account of its
absolute right. In the brilliant court of
France the simply clad American won the
highest place, and in England, too. his old
opponents admitted his foreknow ledge
and wisdom. His observations were wide.
He took an interest in New Zealand sub
scribing to q fund for ciyilizing the
Maoris.
His country halls him as a statesman,
ana his memory is as great in England. a
Franklin and the Postoffice.
The Assistant Postmaster, D. S. Rich
ardson, said: "lt was fitting that Franklin,
the printers patron saint, should be the
father of the postal systematic one pre-
pairing the intellectual food of the world,
the other looking after its transportation.
In 1887 Franklin was Postmaster at Phila-
delphia. afterward for the colonies. and
later for the Continental Congress. During
aBte-revolutionaTy days he originated and
afteTward guided the postal laws until the
adoption Of constitution. The present eff
cheney OF the pOStoflce depends Oh his work
and suggestion. But could he have believed
IN its gigantic development? In his day
there were 201 postoffices, now there are
66. .403; postal routes then extended over
5642 miles, now they cover 453. 832 miles
In 1893 the estimated mum Der OF pieces of
mail matter was 100000, In 1893 the num-
Der was 5,000,000.000 In 1893 the revenue
was S104, 756. not one-eigbth of the annu al
revenue of the San Francisco P0stoffice,
now it is over S75 1893, 600. In
1898 II would have cost dollar
10 send letter from New York halfway
TO Chicago, now the rate all over the coun-
try for a letter is . cents an ounce. For
newspapers the charge was l cent fol- d
distance under 10G miles, now the charge
for all the country is 1 cent pound.
Gould Franklin in his widest dreams
have imagined that in a great city 5000
miles away from Philadelphia 100 years
afterward would be gathered here people
to do honor to his memory2
There is as much to be done for the
postal service in tie future as has been
done in the past, and San Francisco mas a
happy figure for future development. We
shall see the streetcar system used for
postal delivery, and pneumatic tubes in
use, all centering in a noble building at
the foot of Market street, where the for
eign ships too shall land their loads of
human intelligence. This will be before
another centennial anniversary of Benja-
min Franklin's birthday"