Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-04
MONEY VALUE OF BRAINS.

IN these strenuous times OF trusts,
combines, frenzied finance and get
rich-quick schemes, it is refreshing to
remember that the world has really
known men who cared for something
else besides making money. There
have been others besides Agassiz who
have not had time to become rich be-
cause they have been too busy bene-
fitting their fellow mortals and aiding
them to acquire money. Often mem
Der Of this class Of men Is the target
of sneers and Is called an "easy
mark" or by some other equally I'm.
beautiful but equally expressive title.
But those who really possess the abil-
ity to make money and deliberately
give up the opportunity out of bigness
of heart deserve credit for: their I'M
selfishness and their real love for their
fellow men.
Just now Burbank tho Californian,
who has Andrew Carnegie for a
hacker, is attracting wide attention.
Mr.. Burbank has developed several
marvels of horticulture and has called
them by names that sound like para
doxes, but which Burbank has made
solemn facts. He doesn't seem to
care, however, about spreading broad
cast the news of his discoveries but
keeps right on working and drawing
an allowance from the Scot which is
used in more experiments. Burbank
never will be wealthy but he is adding
to the worlds store of scientific
knowledge and he is happy.
Moore, the man who discovered the
process Of inoculating the ground with
certain bacteria which are able to alb
sorb the free nitrogen from the air,
has given to the world knowledge,
which will, in the course of
time, means millions of dollars to the
tillers of the soil. But. he has given
up the secret he has wrested from ma
ture and has given it freely. With
him may be mentioned Professor Bah
cock. the Wisconsin man, who in
vented the cream separator To man
ufacture this device would have made
Babcock independently rich in few
years, but he preferred to give his
knowledge away.
One cannot help but admire the gen.
erous natures that prompts such &C.
lions, but his admiration is no less for
those who have made themselves rich
by means of their inventions and dis.
coveries. Watt, Stephenson, and Ark
wright, respectively an instrument
maker, mechanic and a barber, in
vented respectively the steam engine,
the locomotive and the method of mod.
ern manufacture of cotton goods. Each
made money from his invention. And
each was justified in his desire to reap
benefit from the product of his brain
and his hands. Each of these men had
felt, in early life, the pinch of poverty.
When they saw the opportunity to put
that experience behind them for all
time, and to do it honestly and at the
same time to benefit their world, they
seized eagerly upon the chance and
they were right.
1t is, after all, the personality of the
man that makes him either an Agassiz
or Watt, Moore or a Stephenson.
Burbank or an Arkwright. Had Pro.
lessor Babcock, for instance, been a
poor boy, he would not have afforded
the college education that brought him
his degree. But he could have in.
vented the cream separator without
being professor. Had he been a
mechanic, however, and invented the
separator, 1t is a safe guess that he
would have guarded his plans jeal.
ously, secured patent and made all
the mone5 possible off his invention
But he was professor with a fixed
salary sufficient to his needs. He had
knowledge that would do the world
good. His instincts were to teach and
ne taught his new found knowledge
10 the world. He does not deserve
special credit for his generosity more
than Watt deserves censure for his de.
sire to become rich off his invention.
Even without the bias which the pres.
ent day love for money might put upon
the Judgment, it is but fair to honor
the fortune hunting inventor equally
with the scientist who gives his
knowledge to the world free.
THE POSSIBILITY OF PEACE