St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-01-18

(''The Human Race Is Steadily Growing
Stronger and Better.)
successful mariner in those days. is
was from data obtained from him that
Franklin made his chart.
'sThat was not small work, Tor 1t
was Of international value. The re-
suit Of his work was Of great value
to his country. The ships Of the Royal
Packet company, of England, were
from Is to IS days longer in crossing
the ocean than the heavily laden Amer
lean ships Of that day. Thus it hap
pened that the colonists were In
formed many days in advance OF
King Georges officials in this country
of what was going on in the councils
Of the oppressor.
"Franklin did not discover the quiz
stream, but he was the only man hv-
ing who realized it's vastness and its.
worth to his country. His uncle, Capt.
Folger, kept . log from 1854 to 1766.
in which he made notes showing that
during all Of those years the right
whale as it was known, never entered
the waters Of the gulf stream because
they were 30 warm, but swan along
the edges Of the stream seeking food
It was from that log that Franklin
learned positively Of the existence Of
the gulf stream, and he at once chart
ed it. He did not realize immediate.
" what value it would be to his coun-
try to have that knowledge, and pre-
scented copy Of his chart. handsome
" engraved, to the lords Of the royal
treasury; but they did not appreci-
ate it and never used it; not even when
war was coming on, nor while the war
was being waged which resulted in the
independence Of our republic. The
American ships sailed right across the
gulf stream. The British ships, Of
lighter build, spread 4heir sails and
stemmed the invisible tide, being thus
put back from 60 to 80 nautical miles
every day. OF course the American
ships outsailed them, and brought
valuable news many days in advance
of the royal ships"
Senator Stewart spoke at length and
eloquently Of the mental power OF
Franklin, saying that his electrical in-
ventions numbered 10, and that out
of them have grown several thousand
modern patents which have developed
great industries which give employ
ment to upwards OF, 1000, 900 people,
''He lived to see the fruition Of much
| of his work" said the senator, 'but
he probably had NO idea Of the vast
ness Of the value Of his work. Like
many another earnest toiler he build
| ed better than he knew"
He concluded: II was an intimate
friend Of Lincoln, the greatest and
grandest of all great men. inti-
| mately knew Garfield and Mckinley.
All of them fell by the wayside seem-
ingly before their works were done.
The olden times never produced such
statesmen az they were; and al re-
mote time did not produce such intel
lectual giants as Palmerston, Glad.
stone, Bismarck and Ii Hung Chang.
The human race II growing stronger
and better. That Is the reason do
not worship ct the old shrines. Plato,
Socrates, Aristotle, xenophon, Homer,
Virgil, all did good work and bettered
the world. But our own times are big
ger and letter. and we have bigger
and better men. In our schools TODAY
we are developing great men, or tie
fathers and mothers Of great men,
who will even eclipse Napoleon, Glad
stone, Edison or Franklin. Ny idea Ii
that we should be proud Of our own
day and generation, and not mere hero
worshipers of the remote past"
SMITH D. FRY.