The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1895-05-24


ward. There are
learned men who
honestly believe that the world reached
the highest plane of civilization in the
memorable year of 1893 and that the
pendulum has begun to swing the other
way. These men claim that in 500
years the American continent will
have been completely stripped of its
ancient gl0ries and that the race of
that time will be greatly inferior one
even to the point of ceasing to build
places of shelter and refusing to avail
themselves of clothing. The promulga-
tors of this belief have thousands of
followers, especially among those who
have battled with the pangs Of pow
ny since the panic of 1893. These un-
NEtunates see no hope in the future.
.fhey at present form a calm and SOL
emn multitude, the first black cloud
(say the leaders, of the coming bar
barrie state of mankind. Even the OPP
tfmist raises his eyes and sees this
cloud rising in the west, but he dis
cording to his theory of social saliva
ton, and then resumes his daily Occu-
patton. AS soon as the theory which he
advocates is given a chance all will be
well again. But should all theories
now advanced fail of their purpose,
what then? Who knows absolutely
that they are not all false or made
Quate, though honestly and sincerely
urged? If civilization is still to pro-
gress what course can it pursue? The
first writer of any prominence to at
tempt to solve the great problem is
Prof. Hiram Forbes, who brushes aside
gold, silver, and tariffs and claims
that electricity is the key to the situa-
ton. In fifty years, the professor be-
lieves, all or nearly all the labor now
performed by man will be done by cleo
trio power. Not only shall it perform
labor, but 1t will extract from the air
and the earth the elements which now
sustain human life, and the man or
woman born in 1880 may live to see the
ill-advised prophesy Of Caesars Col
umn" fade before the wonderful light
II the twenty-siXth century. The great
electricians of today are actually work.
ing along this line of progress and If
The secrets of the Tesla or Edison lab
Srat0ries were known the world would
be appalled,. One Of the most startling
discoveries said by good authority to
have been made is to the effect that
after all we need not dig down into
the bowels of the earth after gold or
silver. BY the use of electricity it is
proposed to extract the precious metals
from the waters of the oceans, and
that in one years time an amount suf-
dcient can be accumulated to outbal-
ance that given up by the earth in
1000 years. This discovery has been
made by Edison. It has been known
for two centuries that the waters of
the oceans are highly charged with
particles of the purest gold and silver,
and many methods have been devised
with a view of utilizing, but failure has
met every attempt up to the time of
Edison's experiment. Edison proposes
this time to reap the benefit of his own
discovery. Heretofore big syndicates
have taken hold of his inventions and
today he is poor man. But once he
starts dumping gold and silver bullion
into the United States minis at the
rate Of a ton or SO a day he would
soon not only own the United States
but the earth as we'll. The only chance
Of salvation would be for the govern
ment to compel Edison to give up his
secret for the benefit of all the people.
But could the government compel Ed
isO6 to give up his secret? BY at
tempting it the government would
commit itself to the basic principle Of
socialism. BY allowing him to pro-
coed it would commit itself to anarch-
ism-as the term is properly under
stood. 1t might demonetize both gold
and silver, and thereby render the dis
.covery improbable from a coinage
A plethora Of new ques-
tions would arise and the proper action
Ito take would be readily seen as the
crisis forced itself.