The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-07-20
N-<~
Ben franklin
Blcemtenarv

H
messed the birth of Benjamin
Franklin, printer. scientist. Philosopher
and statesman. The bicentenary of
Franlllin's birth will be celebrated ID
many parts of the world. In Parls,
where he represented the colonies dur
ing the Revolutionary struggle, the day
will be fttingly observed, and in con-
uection with the exercises a statue or
Franklin by the American sculptor
John ]. Boyle. will be unveiled near
the house in Passy where be lived
when the minister of the young repuO
lie to France. In Boston, where he
was born: in New York, where he fail
ed 70 find employment, and in Phila'
delph.a. with which his career is CHIEF
" identified there will also be ceremo
MES in recognition of the significance
of the day. In the famous city whose
name signifies that in which Franklin
firmly overwhelmingly love-the
most elaborate of these exercises VIII
be held. They will be under the dlrec-
ton of the American Philosophical SO
cietv. which Franklin himself founded
in 1744. and both the state and the fed,
eral government will take part III
them.
franklin was one of seventeen chill.
dren. and his father, Il Boston tlllow
maker was not blessed with wealth,
50 HAT he did not have any special ad-
vautascs of birth. lie had few oppor-
tuuiiitS as Il boy to excel in scholar
ship. for he had only two years school
INK. ami then went to work to help his
parent in moiding candles. It was an
evcntfr day for the printing trade and
journalism when the Young Franklin
WA; released from making candles and
st to printing as an apprentice to his
brother James. This brother owned q
newspaper, and the hoy Ben got some
cs.aranco in Eal-:ng him run it, but
he anna James ttl not get along very
well. and tlc box started cut to seeB
his fprtepp Landing i'll New York. he
suG@.j TOR II rio. Mont, but without
success Hu5, ioarnrEin% on, reached
I'hfu' c',hia N.th but y dollar in his
pc..k"' Bat Succcs5 crowned his Ca
rcsr in Philadelphia ere many years
had tied Our OF his most successful
us Wcil a. famous enterprises Was the
Poor Richards Almanac" the first
number Of which he published when lie
WAS tWcuty--,T and which at once be
came popular, He continued publish
ing This allaUac for twenty-five years.
1t was translated into all the languages
Of Europe, AMI It's quaint sayings have
become household words. For many
wears he published the Philadelphia
Gazette. lie organized the first pub
lie library in Philadelphia and cstab
iish2i the academy which has deveL
oped into The University of Pennsyl-
vania. The art of printing is in ris
i debt to an Unreasonable degree
In 17iS Franklin sold his paper, hi'
/ almanac and his printing plant. IIc
was then only forty-tWo. but he had
accumulated what in those days was
considered Il fortune. and as the af
fairs of his countrymcn demanded his
attention he determined to have nc
| impcdiments in the way of his render
| ing jealous public service For DC
Rod Of over forty years thereafter liz
was almost continuously occupied il
the cause ot his country. Prior to tht
RcVo ution he represented the interest.
Of his own colony of Pennsylvania au(
sometimes other colonies ut the British
court; he Participated in the draWins
up Of the Declaration of Indepcndence
OF which he Was one Of the signers
ana he spent some If the most impor
tant years OF his life plGlding the cause
Of the colonies at the cour. of France
With what success he pleaded j,
known to all. His inventions and dis
coYerieS gave linn Il high place in TIN
world Of science and learning pnd h,
Is recognized today as the father O
electrical science. He might have made
q great deal of wealth out of his in
ventions. but he did not Worship tn,
almighty dollar and valued none,
only as it contributed to the enioymen
Of comforts ANA refnements. Though
so versatile and accomplished, he wa
content to he knows simply as print
er, and when he died in 1890 the fol
lowing cpilaph, which he wrote him
self, was placed upon his tombstone:
The body Of benjamin Franklin, printer
like the cover of an old book, its content
torn out and stripped of its lettering an
gliding, lies here, food for worms. Blu
the work shall not be lost, for it will. a
he believed, appear once more in a ney
and more elegant cd,t!1n. revised and cor
rected by the Au}Sa5