Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-06-07
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES.
episoN's LATEST DISCOVERY.

The public Is unaccustomed to getting
concrete facts from electrical wizards,
but here comes Edison with the definite
statement of his ability to make Port
land cement" at such small cost as to
revolutonlze the building industry.
| Considering the present cost of cement,
the extent to which it has entered into
modern construction is marvellous. All
material that will resist the wear and
tear of the elements are built largely
with concrete. 1t is the principal mate
rial used in the construction of river
dams, government forts, bridge abut.
ments and foundations for large office or
mercantile structures where the frame
work is steel. Its cost, however, has pre-
cluded its use to any large extent in pri-
vate dwellings.
Through his discovery of new process
for making cement Mr.. Edison. however,
wromises to place 1t within the reach of
the builder of the humblest cottage. 1t
will be as cheap as common salt, and
when mixed with sand and broken stone
in the proportion of one part of cement
to three parts of sand and five parts of
broken stone it will supply concrete
mixture so cheap and so durable that it
is certain to supplant pine, brick or stone
in all building operations. Houses, in
fact, according to Mr.. Edison, will simply
be patterned after design furnished by
an architect, will be made of wood or
steel and into this will be poured the con-
crete mixture. After the concrete solid
ifies the owner has a dwelling In which
he can defy the elements and the tooth
of Time. The "cOpcrete problem is an
old one. Hundreds of inventors have
tried to devise process for cheapening
, its manufacture. If Edison has solved il
he may not only stop the ruthless devas
tation of pine forests by furnishing 6
much cheaper building material, but vii
place homes within the reach of thou
sands who cannot now afford wood
7 Chicago Record Herald.
>oo>
\ AMERICANS THE PRoFANEsT PEOPLE or
EARTH.
The action of the big packing firm o
Swift 81 Company in posting notices
forbiddng profanity on the company
premises will receive the unqualified
any conception of the elemental decen
cies of life.
1t is not necessary to inquire into tn
;, immediate causes which led Swift
Company to post this order. Its signifi
canoe lies in fact that a great corpo
ration employing five thousand person
in its packing establishment should con
e ceive it to be necessary or desirable t
=, forbid indulgence in profanity among it
employees. The presumption is that tn
corporation was impelled by considers
tions which affected its own interests a
well as the morals of the employees.
Profanity among employees in such a
establishment as that of Swift & Con
= pany is provocative of bad temper an
bad feeling 1t not only lowers the mora
tone of the employees who are compelle
to listen to it but it is a breeder of di:
sension. 1t is firebrand that kindle
hot temper and turns hatred into vic
lence. 1t is easy to see, therefore, ths
it may lower the efficiency of larg
body of employees.
AS matter of fact there is not
shadow of excuse for profanity in an
relation or eXigency of life. 1t adds L
force or power to speech. 1t is the col
fession of vocal impotency in the ma
10 who uses it. The clustering, boviatin
blasphemer who flies into a rage an
- pours forth stream of profanity upo
all occasions is man that is not to |
feared. When it comes to a question
vocal dynamics the man whose speech
as clean and sharp as hounds toot
-, will inspire most fear and respect.
ne The Americans have the reputation
ss being the most profane people on eartl
In no other land or cline does the con
mon speech reek with the pollution
r. profanity as here. The japanese, IL
\ most docie, sweet-tempered, artistic ar
ingenious people on earth. never poiso
the atmosphere of the "fowery kin,
re dom" with profanity. There are
Oaths or cuss words in the Japane'
language.
A traveller in England, Germany
France very rarely hears the name
10 Deity taken in vain. The continent
languages do not appear to lend ther
selves to such vile and variegated pr
family as the Anglo-SaXon tongue
capable of.
Profanity is a vile, disgusting al
ar useless habit. 1t is the one abhorrel
= blight upon language that is destin,
- one day to become the common vehic
- of all human thought. Stop it,-Ct
cago Record Herald.
Summary of Pr olafa Cnurt