The Holly chieftain., 1898-03-04
MAN rs DoUBTiNo.
Greatest InyentiOns OF the World
Poohed ~ by the skeptical.

6reatest InventtOns OF the World
Peohed ~ by the skeptical.
The most cataclysmal of NIL inven.
tions-that Of gunpowder (which, by
the way. was probably invented twice.
for Greek fire must have been the same
thing. used with an imperfect knowl.
edge of its propelling power)-an the
one which most affected the organiza.
iion Of society by destroying the value
Of armor and equalizing THE power OF
men of different sizes, took a generation
to spread abroad, and when it did spread
hardly affected the relative strength of
the nations.
II such an invention were discovered
now the papers would ring with
prophecies probably ofa German or Brit.
ish conquest of the world, which would
not happen bit the faster for all the
"npprecintions." Printing was grand
discovery, and though it did not helr
the Chinese much, did help Europeans
great deal, but IL did not help them
suddenly, and for the immense major.
ity Of mankind II might just as well
never have occurred. Steam is grand
discovery, but 1t has not upset the
world. 1t has been utilized only by de.
grees, and, like printing. the mass OF
mankind know very little about II, one.
third OF the human race, indeed, de-
nouncing It as something which 'hanzes
md maazes the blessed feulds."
The discovery of THE way to harness.
lightning, which excitcs the imagina-
tion even Of poets, is one of the creates.
man has ever made. but II has upset
nothing except newspaper arrange
ments, and beyond enabling nations to
talk together as individuals do, il has
produced no consequences. 1t is, we
suppose, possible that somebody may
discover way Of destroying feet
from balloon. and thus deprive the
richest nation Of its maritime advan-
tages, but mode of fcounteracting that
discovery would probably be found Al
the same time and the balance Of mari.
time power would remain unchanged.
There never can be nm elixir OF life.
because all men are sentenced 10 cap.
itai punishment, but preparation
which would destroy or nentralixe all
hostile bacteria, germs. spores, or what.
ever they call the injurious' atoms, H.
at all events. conceivable, but It would
be years before il greatly Influenced the
permanent health even of races bright
enough to believe In the physician,
opinions. Remember the savage oppo.
sition to vaccination in the teeth of evi.
dence really as strong as that whid.l
demonstrates any arithmetical PROPOSE.
tion.
From all that, what deduction? Sim.
ply this: That the readiness to take
alarm, which is one handspring Of mod.
ern credulity, is not justified either BY
experience or theory, and that men
SHOULD receive all announcements OF
cataclysmal discovery or rinventionwith
willingness to inquire, and a quiet
conviction that II false they do not mat
ter and II true they will affec, things
very slowly, and win develop counter
vaiiiDg and restraining influences. Ac-
cording to science a meteorite big
enough 10 shatter the world might
strike It, and bring even labor troubles
or the 0ermnn emperor's experiments ts
to an end. but the universe Is governed
by powers before which even science ia
very ignorant, and Judging from all ex-
perience the meteorite will either be
shuttered In time or just miss us in It's
course through space.-I.ondon Spec
tator.