Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-02-16
The Forces Of Nature.

The Forces Of Nature.
"There are more things in heaven and
earth, oh Horatio, than have ever yet
entered into thy philosophy"
We wonder what Shakespeare meant
when he penned the lines quoted above.
Surely he did not mean the common
methods by which men obtained live
lihood in his day. He certainly did not
mean ploughing and sowing, reaping and
moving, he did not refer to the force
that the carpenter uses to shove Jack
plane, or the hunter in following the
trail of deer. He must haye meant
something more, for these were well
understood in Horatio's time. Did he
mean that there would come time
when ships would be propelled by steam ?
Did he mean that some day men would
talk to each other ten thousand miles
apart by the force OF electricity. Did
he mean that some day men would
pump from the earth fluid with which
to illuminate their homes? Did he re.
fer to the laws by which our earth
moves, and the planets are guided in
their orbits? Or did he mean the know.
ledge which would enable a man to tell,
why, when an apple falls from tree it
falls to the ground, no matter on which
side Of the earth that tree may chance
to grow? Did Shakespeare have an
inkling in some vague way that the time
would come when you would be able to
discern piece OF glass EMBEDDED in the
flesh7 Or to tell how many coins your
companion carried In histrousers pocket.
Did he understand the law by which
one person may penetrate the interior
Of another and tell him the conditions
of his bowels, heart or lungs without the
use of the knife? Did Shakespeare
know that there would come a time
when a power inherent in man would
become developed to such an extent in
some. that they would be able to take a
piece OF rock in their hands and by it's
own peculiar vibrations be guided to the
spot from whence it came, and by it's
affinity be enabled to discern all OF its
environment, not only on the surface
but deep in the earth. Yes, and if he is
skilled with the pencil, and possesses
the appropriate scientific instruments,
he can take accurate measurements and
draw map Of it, even though thous
and miles intervene between the indivi-
dual and the home Of that piece of rock
/ fancy just now that I see q thousand
men who will read this article stand up
and say, II don't believe it,"
All right, it is your privilege to doubt,
and science loves good doubter. But
science does not love the man who con
tinues to doubt when it is his privilege
to investigate and find out the truth and
does it not. l too disbelieved in this
proposition at one time, but haying in.
vestigated, ] am satisfied now that it is a
fact. A fact in nature which cannot be
successfully controverted. The discov.
cry of this law is not 80 old as some
which / have mentioned in the forego
ing, which are now accepted by the pub
lie as common facts, but it is not very
new. 1t is old enough to have met
with the acceptance of more people than
we find willing to endorse it, and this
we are constrained to say is not com
plimentary to the intelligence of the
masses who live in this enlightened
age.
1t seems to be the case that those
whose intellect is the leas. cultivated are
the strongest in their prejudices, while
with the requirement OF knowledge oul
prejudices give way and We are enabled tc
receive more and more ofthe knowledg.
of natures laws, by which we are made
happier and higher in the scale of being
But it is wonderful how strong the pre-
judices Of some men become. As ar
illustration of this fact, we read tha
when Robert Fulton invented the frs
steamboat, and announced that his boa
would start from New York on certain
day and run to Albany, when the time
arrived there were very many who did
not believe in the success of the project
They gathered on the wharf in crowds
and one man laid wager that she would
meyer reach Albany. Fulton steamed
up and run to Albany without difficulty
But when the time was announced tc
start hack this same man was on hand
and Offering to bet another hundred dol
lars that the boat would never be able
to reach New York.
And thus it is, and has been. from the
days Of Galaleo to the present time
Every new discovery has had to fight itt
way to the front by the sheer potency
inherent in the truth alone. Whether
Shakespeare, who was away ahead of the
people of his time. ever received ar
inkling of any of these things do moi
know. Certain it is that nearly all OF
these great improvements and inven'
tions have come about since our Grand
Fathers days. Still the remark is as ap
propriate to-day as ever it was. "There
are more things in heayen and earth
oh Horatio. than has ever yet entered
into thy philosophy"
C. W. ROBBINS.
s-