The Yellowstone journal., 1894-07-06
Friday, July 6, 1894.
MYSTERIOUS ELECTRICITY.
he Human Mind May Never Solve II,
Problem of What 1t Is.

Problem of w NAT Ii Is.
To the metaphysical mind on the ore
axnd and to the confident ignoramus ur
soc other the mysterious nature of elec
.-icirv offers fruitful subject of specu.
a. To the latter especially it seem.
- tcd that the true nature of elec
49, has not long before been made
manifest, and he is always prepared -
dash off an explanation with much more
confidence than Newton proposed his
theory of gravitation. 1t seems inexpll
cable to the public at large that the mys
terry surrounding electricity is not dis.
PEELED. Ii does not seem TO occur &c
those who are impatient to have the
great question, What is electricity"
answered that we are in just as dense
ignorance as 70 the mechanism Of other
phenomena. Gravitation. light. heat
and chemical action are in the samg
category of scientific mysteries and have
had centuries more Of thought bestowed
on them than has been devoted TO tn.
new agent. While it now seems that
we may be on the threshold Of one OF
the greatest discoveries Of the human
mind, yet it is possible. and even proba.
never be permitted TO extend TO the en-
tire solution Of the problem, for it is the
very p,pblem Of the universe itself.
Assuming what seems to be unques.
toned, that electricity, electrical action
or whatever We may call it, has its seat
in the atoms or molecules Of matter or
of the Hypothetical matter, ether, We
are brought face 10 face with the same
conditions that confront the cOsmicai
philosopher. As the latter can never
hope to have his material vision extend
to the bounds of the universe. neither
can the molecular physicist hope 10 ma.
terially appreciate the ultimate elements
of matter. Lord Kelvin has shown that
if a drop of water We're nagnified to the
size of the earth one Of its constituent
molecules would only be magnifed to
approximately the size Of a cricket
ball. Bearing this in mind, the inn
mensity of the problem which is so otter
6ippantly referred to is evident. True,
We may demonstrate the exact relation
between electricity and magnetism and
may satisfactorily connect these with
other phenomena an. even obtain
working hypothesis that will answer all
scientific needs, bur the ultimate sJlu.
ton may forever evade the human mind.
Whatever we do learn. however, viii
not be through the speculatiOns Of meta
physicians or the guesses Of tyros, bu,
through the physical investigations oi
Hertzes and Teslas. While as a nentaI
training metaphysical speculation may
have its use, the absolute lack IF ada
tions to our real knowledge during the
many centuries from Plato 10 Bacon
when metaphysics held full sway, i co.,
elusive that nothing can be expected
from this direction, and merely specula-
tive theories IL regard TO the nature o,
electricity deserve as little considers-
ton as is now given TO the metaphysical
vagaries of the schoolmen of the middle
Ages.-Electrical World.
Sap~nese interviewing.
A traveller who made a short stag
at Nemuro was one day sitting at hii
dinner in q teahouse when four jap.
anese youths entered the room ard
offered 10 shake hands, a most UNI.
versal proceeding in that country.
One of them presented his card,
which bore the words. X. Sato, Ne.
muro Shimbun" lNemuro newspa-
ver).
oh, said l in japanese. voc
have a newspaper in Nemurol'
Yes, answered one of his friends
n English, Mr. Yuasa, presenting
his own card.
You speak English then, Mr.. Yu
asaYr
"Yes."
''Can l offer you and your friends
anything to eat or drink"
"Yes."
"What will you have9'
eyes"
~Will you have some sakel"
'rNo, no. came tc speak to You
'Thank you"
mo, no. came to take your life
IN Nemuro newspaper. Please speak
where came7 How old2 Where gor
A very pleasant and very long il
terview followed, and next morning
I reGsived the following note:
eR-I long that you will correspond tn ane
any events wherever you have met them IN
your Journey when you are not 50 awful busy, /
- have to translate aud write on the Eemuro
Gswa meet the fret time here. and hope to
hnwe your friendly favor hitherto, and thank
~ your kindness have recsived ever. BELIEVE
- your humble servant F.YuAaA
-Youths Companion.
Aiding - Cause.
ThA nav 1ady memhpr went IN cbprcN |