Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-01-12
December Signs Of Spring.

Under this head line, the n. Y.
World of the 1st inst, has this to say
OF the weather forecast by the last
month OF the year:
ION all sides are reported harbingers
OF spring. Maple trees are budding on
Staten I,lard anl al Bayonne, y. J.
From Corona, l.. J.. comes report OF lilac
bushes in bud. A violet has been picked
at Winstel. Conn, where also a silver
maple is in bud and two lilacs are sprout-
Ing leaves. Only sony-hirls are lacking
to the galaxy OF signs. The records re-
mind Us that it was better in 1>i"-lo,
when robins were in evidence all winter,
and again in lS.1-.>, when robins and
bluebirls sang in January as though it
were April. The weather will do any,
thing to get itself talked about. In Jam
uary, lSl6, ii was SO warm here that
people let their fires 20 out. But that
year there was no summer. June was a
month OF ice, there was frost in July and
August, and the next cold season came
on early in the fall. 1t is not well to
put ones trust in the open winter
1t is very amusing to people in this
favored State, to read such felicita-
tons from people living in very
nearly our latitude, of conditions that
nearly always prevail here in Deem.
Der and throughout winter. Not only
budding trees may be seen, but full.
blown flowers plucked, out-of-doors,
unless it be an exceptional winter, dur
ing the Christmas season. Many of
our birds remain with us all the year
round, and we note that as We write
linnets are sporting before our Office
window, if that may be regarded as a
harbinger of spring.
In southern California, about twelve
degrees farther towards the equator, on
the 35th parallel, perpetual summer
prevails, and the climatic conditions
on Christmas are about what our PEG.
pie enjoy in July. But then our com.
parison has reference only to this
State with New York, and We cannot
but congratulate our people on tho
usual recurrence Of climatic conditions
which the World regards as worthy of
special laudation. Nor do we ever
have here the fearful storms of wind
and rain, or the frigid temperature
experienced in the East, nor the bliz.
zard or the cyclones which are so de-
structive OF property and at times life,
in the New England, Middle and Mid
die Western States.
THE BICENTENARY OF FRANKLIN's
BIRTH.-Next Wednesday is the 200th
anniversary of the birth of the printer,
scientist, statesman and philosopher,
Ben Franklin. The 18th OF January
will be celebrated in many parts Of the
world whore his sterling traits Of char.
acter are appreciated. He was born
in Boston, but passed the greater part
of his eventful career in Philadelphia
The most elaborate ceremonies have
been prepared by the American Pbilo-
sophical Society, of that city, founded
by him in 1874. Franklin was one of
seventeen children and bis father
tallow merchant in Boston, in moder-
ate circumstances. His first literary
enterprise in tho City of Brotherly
Love was Poor Richards Almanac"
published when he was 26 years of age.
He published it for Is years. and its
quaint and wise sayings were trans
lated into many languages. It was
here he published the Philadelphia
Gazette. He organized the first public
library in that city, and established
the academy which finally developed
into the University of Pennsylvania.
His public life is too we'll known to
require elaboration. Suffice it to say
that no man left more indellible i'm.
print on the tablets of the time in
which be lived than Benjamin Frank.
lin, q typical American.
HIGH COMPLIMENT TO AN AMERICAN