Sisseton Posten. [volume] (Effington, Sud Dakota [S.D.]) 1902-19??, 1906-01-12

when Old. Franklin not only wrote
these things: he lived them. lie had a
definite ana systematic way of check
ing UP his conduct He made list of
the cardina. virtues, then marked OPP
poste each any slight iniractiou on his
own part during each day. 70 perfect
himself in writing he took copy Of
the Spectator, fixed the thought of some
particular paragraph in bis mind then
after the lapse of few days tried 10
reproduce it. lie always strove Tor self
Improvement While a boy he ran OH 20
a description OF the Socratic method Of
questioning and making tentative state
ments. 1t made such Il deep impress
sion Oh his mind that ne abandoned the
dogmatic method of.sdying "Undoubt-
edly" and "Ccrtainly' and adopted the
more modest and winning method Of
so" or, IF | am not mistaken. it is
thus and So TO this habit early form
ed he owed much OF. his success as n
writer and diplomat in later life.
Benjamin Franklin did not become
an author merely for popularity. OF
the creation of literature for It's own
sake he knew nothing He wrote al
ways to further some especial cause he
had in view or with the distinct object
Of aiding mems morals and material
well being. Outside of the almanac
the only considerable work from his
pen is his autobiography This was
unfinished at the time Of hia.dcQth and
was not published until some time aft
erward.
The letters and political papers also
contain much of the trenchant wisdom
and homcly philosophy of this versatile
man He was one Of the few who
could not write without saying some
thing. 1t might be letter on never so
trivial a subject still the individuality
OF Franklin shone through. He made
everything he did or said worth while
only because he was in II. He was so
distinct so different, yet so universal
and so common, that everything lie
touched he made vital with bis own
being No man, at least In modern
times. ever entered so many fields and
made himself master of them all. This
was because he was always and every
where Ben Franklin, distinct and
definite entity and sufficiently forceful
TO lend to all that emanated from him
his own distinction. After all il is
great souls thar count, and Franklin
n,.fer
to leave an impress the world can new
er lose. He became an influence i'll
all decentralization that can never be
eradicated. He sowed himself in his
age, and the thought seed grew, to be
reproduced in after ages He was a
pervasive sort of man, and there is lit
tie Of the occidental world that has not
felt his presence. He was 1T home with
the scientist or uS peasant, with the
king or the revolutionist, in the salon
or the backwoods Such universal
characters are rare. They seem to
touch humanity at every point, to COM
prehend and include it, They are so
great they do not need to seem great,
and therefore their genius Is often un-
perceived by those nearest at hand.
This much can be said of Benjamin
Franklin: He was the most conspicu-
Gus newspaper man of his day and to
that extent was the founder of the
modern American press. He was one
OF the best printers, il not the best, IN
the colonies, and lac was the most cele-
brated American author up to his own
day and for generations aiterwaid.
j. A. EDGERTON.