The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-08
THE GREATEST MEN.


Recently William e. Curtis was asked
to name the twelve most eminent men
in human history, not Including those
| mentioned In tho Bible. Mr.. Curtis
makes reply through the Chicago Record
| Herald. and, by way Of introduction he
saws that in his opinion the only way
| to determine mans greatness Is by
measuring the influence he has exerted
| upon the affairs of mankind. He con-
! cludes, therefore, that in selecting the
| twelve men who have been most con-
epicuous in that direction, he must IN
| Guide the first founders of the great re-
lgions who. during the present day,
guide and control the conduct OF nun
trcds Of millions Of the worlds fnhabi-
| tants.
First of all he ranks Buddha man OF
humble origin, who was born IN nttle
village in the Himalaya Mountains. IN
the year $50 Il. c., and died Az - Z.
Tho ndherents Of tho Buddhist faith to-
day number about 4OO,0O0,000. The foun-
dalton Of the religion preached by Buddha
Is defined as the four noble truths-love
of mankind, holy calm, the expression
of desire, and the protection of ltfe
Next to Buddha he names Confucius,
the Chinese philosopher, who lived from
$50 b. c., to ATS B. c. Confucius taught
no religion. but was great moralst, and
his maxims are the foundation of Chinese
morals, law, Justice and system oil
government Confucianlsm is the doml-
mating moral Influence in China to-day.
Then comes Mahoinet, the camel driver
who lived from go to GRE a. d., and
was founder of the Moslem religion and
author Of the Koran The followers OF
Mahomct to-day are not less than 3V-
100000 in number, and they are true to
their faith.
Fifth in the list Mr.. Curtis mentions
Martin Luther, the founder Of the Pro-
tcstant faith, and after him he names
Charlemagne, who, he says, may be
termed the founder Of modern clvlliza-
ton.
Number seven Is Alfred the Great, of
England (S7l-9OD, founder of law courts,
trial by jury and first to overthrow the
doctrine that might makes right" which
had prevailed among human beings up TO
his reign.
Then he names In their order George
Washington founder of civil liberty; Ma
poleon Bonaparte the greatest OF SOL
diers; Michael Angelo, the greatest OF
architects, artists and sculpors; William
Shakespeare, the greatest of writer's and
Plato. the founder Of philosophy and
ethics.
We shall not undertake to revise this
list but 1t seems to US that Benjamin
Franklin should be included somewhere
if men are to be measured by the intlu-
ence they have excrted upon the affairs
of mankind. Franklin was our all
round citizen" He worked we'll In more
spheres of active life than any man who
ever lived In America II not, indeed,
in the whole world. lie was states
man, diplomat, scientist, philosopher.
| writer and man of affairs and unitarian.
Most of our great men are mere memo
ries to-day; but Franklin lives IN the ac-
tivitles of the twentieth century; he lives
in the printers art; he lives in electricity;
he lives in many practical inventions.
In front of the building in the city OF
Boston. which now occupies the spot
where Franklin was born, there is a bust
of this eminent man to mark the place.
From one point of view this bust seems
singularly out OF place, for 1T Is In one
| of the busiest parts of Boston. But all
around are the evidences of Franklns
genius His personality Is peculiarly
| stamped upon the city Of Philadelphia,
| where he lived and worked, and only
| n few days ago writer in one of the
| Philadelphia papers mentioned the in
| teresting fact that it was Franklin who
| first suggested to the people of that city
| the idea Of bringing water into the city
from a nelghborng lake by graVitation.
The city did not adopt the suggestion at
| once, but did adopt 1t later on when it
cost a great deal more to purchase the
| water supply which Franklin had set
| his eyes upon One OF the most popular
stoves of the day Is the open Franklin
which was an invention Of this wonderful
mans, stove that combines the prop
critics of stove and open fire place, and
no man in reminiscent frame of mind
| ever looks upon the printing press.
| lightning rod, or an electric car without
associating Herewith the name of Frank
lin, Truly It may be said of this WON
derful man that his works follow him.
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