The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1897-04-20
'AIRsHIPS
What Are They? and From
Whence do They EN-
animate.

" hOhOO uO AhOJ Gh
animate.
! A Brilliant Editorial on This Subject
Logan Receives a Visitation From
This Ariel Monstrosity.
Columbus Press.
1t would be strange thing If all
the reports now current about the
"air-shlp" proved in the end to be
true. But 1t would not be strange
thing If they proved to be altogeth-
er false. The latter fact IS account
ed for on the ground that modern
journalism, appreciating the fever
ish desire of the world for the solu-
tion of the problem of aerial navi-
cation, is inclined to give credence
to whatever promises or indicates
that that solution is at hand.
There is no doubt that, If the air.
ship is fact, the world stands upon
the threshold ofa new existence.
What wonder, the e-fore, If news
paperdom-the interpreter of the
worlds thou ght-anticipates the
discovery it is so anxious to an
nounce?
Perhaps an editorial considera-
tion of the airship will beconstrued
by many minds as departure from
editorial dignity. But, perhaps,
editorial dignity is at best very
doubtful quantity-over-rated,some
times, and always to be regarded
from d difrerent points of view. And
perhaps the airship has more dig
nifty than the most conservative
columns in the world. Certainly
it has, il it can fly. Conservative
columns, as a rule, do not fly. Poets
do. Editors do not. They grovel.
But why not fly with the airship
If we can? There is some inter-
esting recent history in connection
with the skytramp. 1t first obtain
ed prominence through the kind
ness of the San Francisco Call,
which some months ago devoted
an extraordinary amount of space
to a vision which was said to have
lowered over Oakland. Many
"prominent citizens" testified to
the reality of the apparition, and
one "eminent lawyer" went so far
as to declare-with the privilege
of an affidavit reserved--that he
had for some time been the legal
representative of the airship's in
ventor and knew positively thai
the vehicle was Il soaring, If not a
bowling, success. The Call was
very genei Gus In its treatment OF
this miracle. Its best artists and
most imaginative writer's were EN-.
ployed to exploit the wonders OF
the marvellous visitor. Seriouly,
however, our Sap Francisco con.
temporary offered some striking
evidence to prove that the airship
was not dream that it was, as n |
matter OF fact, a substantial
triumph of inventive genius.
These accounts drew the atten.
tion of the newspaper world long
before the scientific had any in
terest in them. The New York
Journal and New York World re-
produced the Calls illustrations,
revised its text and published
glowing special features--original,
OF course-descriptive of the Cali
fornia air monster. That was
making decided progress for the
airship, whether it were fake or
fact. At this the telegraph news
bureaus pricked up their ears, and
presently the country was regaled
with startling accounts, sworn to
by reputable American citizens, of
the appearance of the wanderer in
various parts of the country. Here
1t was seen three hundred feet
from the earth; now it was plug
ging away against the wind, now
flashing search-lights by night or
emitting kissing sound by dny;at
this time soaring innocent cattle,
or at that time shaking the boots
from an awestruck farmer; dis
appearing there, until the devil
only knew what this fuss was all
about.
Things had come to such a pass
that the airship department was an
absolute necessity of every we'll
newspaper.
Perhaps all this is a huge joke.
Perhaps In this matter the press
associations, the correspondents
Ind the witnesses they have quot
I'd have proceeded on Mr.. Barnum's
that "the American
people love to be humbugged."
3ut If that he true IL IL the hest