The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-01-14

seven thousand young men who are
working most disinterestedly to keep
the chemical Industry of Germany up
to its present leading position. In our
/ land of all but ineNhaustible resources,
we do not realize what it means to rev.
OlutioniZe agriculture in a poor and
depleted land. Germanys merchants
and statesmen are deliberately educated
and trained for commercial work in
foreign countries; and Germany.
through them has been able practically
to monopolize certain special forms of
manufacture, and to conquer and
maintain a place i'll the front rank of
industrial nations.
Says Professor Monaghan:
"Can any one connected with the
Mosely Commission. OF any one inter-
ested in advancing the arguments
about our efficiency and superiority
point to any such picture as that paint
ed by Mr.. Mason? And yet one great,
very important factor was omitted by
Mr.. Mason. He does not tell us, as he
might have told use, that the most of
the raw material used in the manufac-
ture Of the empires chemicals had to
be imported. He did not tell lis that,
before Bayer's time, English and
French chemists had discovered the
presence of analine colors, etc, ETC.,
in coal tar, but that neither England
nor France We're fitted to secure the
results; and that Germany was, be-
cause of her superior system of edu
cation. In connection with the matter
Of color, he might have called atten-
ton to the history of Hermsdorf's dye
ing, most successful system of COM
bining the laboratory chemist with the
workman dyer, and getting results be-
yond any other part Of the worlds best
He might have told of Hermsdorf hav-
ing to dye for England. Ireland, and
this country. If such a story can
be told by anybody in this
country, l have failed, in spite of
long and careful investigation to find
it. do not deny it's possibility, or even
its probability: l doubt the ability of
anyone finding it as easily as the Nose
ly Commission seem to have found our
superiority.
1T is commonly urged that we have
done wonders in the way of invention.
How many Pasteurs, Darwins. Hulk
leys, Tyndals, Wallaces, Spencers,
have we had? For the one Agassiz or
the one Edison, Germany, France, and
England have had experimenting men.
How many Austins or Savignys have
we had in law? How many Helm
holtzes, Humboldts Dubois Raymonds
in the sciences. etc, etc. Those are
the higher fields. Even in the lower
in electricity, engineering etc, ETC., it
is doubtful whether. since 1873, we
have surpassed Germany. Prior to
that time it was necessary to take out
patents. in Germany, covering inven-
tons, in every petty duchy and king
dom in the country. TO do this was
not only very expensive, it was tire
some aand very troublesome Before
1878. because of the trouble caused by
the veXatious delays, criticisms, etc,
etc, many failed to take out patents
preferring to go on rislling exposure
or the dishonesty of assistants. At
that time Germany was far down in
the list of inventive nations, today she
is number two-the United States
alone eXcelling her. question wheth-
err we would lead were we to eliminate
German names from our lists and
were we to have our inventions sub
jected to as rigid an examination as
the one to which persons seeking pat
ent rights. in the German empire are
forced to submit. Anyway the record
for Germany, since 1878, is certainly
one of marvellous success; and much
Of it Is to be traced back to what in
my opinion is, all things considered,
the best system of education on earth.