The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-14
HIS READY WIT HELPED HIM
 OUT OF MANY DIFFICULTIES
Although He Rose to Greatness and Stood Before Kings, Franklin Was Not Ashamed of Being
 Puritan Printer.
BY MoNcuRE LYME.

Next to the Bible land Shakespeare per haps no book is more frequently quoted than Poor Richards Almanac" yet many to whom it's wise saws are house. hold words are unaware when using them that they are drawing from the fount of Benjamin Franklins philosophy. As the man of common sense Franklin ranks foremost among the patriots who estab- nshed American independence. Henrys oratory, Washington's sword. and Jeff ferson's pen could have availed little ir rranklin's influence had not secured the aid of F'rance-for Yorktown would have been an impossibiity save for Lafayette and Comte de Grasse.
 When, moreover. one studies the chart of America's freedom of the sea, the compass points to Franklin as the found- CT of our navy; for Frankln's friendship with John Paul Jones anchored that scotchman in American waters. So that If John Paul Jones has the honor of being styled the Father of the American Navy, to Benjamin Franklin is con signed the position of godfather On account of admiration for Franklin, Louis XIV fitted out Captain John Paul Jones with a ship, which the French king ordered named "Le Bon Homme Richard" as compliment to the author or Poor Richards Almanac"
 Founder of the Union.
 Benjamin Franklin heads the list of our greatest self-made men, save perhaps Abraham Lincoln. A careful study of his life leads to the belief that Franklin was not like Washington and Henry, simply the man of the hour, but that at any period of history he would have been equal to the occasion. Like Jefferson, the depth of Franklins intellect would have enabled him under any circum- stances to have steered to the front. To Franklin's philosophic mind, Jefferson re- ferred his first draft of the declaration of independence, which was a tacit &C., knowledgment by the sage of Monticello of Frankln's wisdom. Jefferson by the self-advertisement of having written his own epitaph, reminds the world of his services, while Franklin, by his Articles of Confederation" really laid the founda- ton of our national union, so that the United States of America is his monu- ment.
 Father of the Press.
 To Franklin's patronage of printing Is due the freedom of the press in our coun- try; and his ingenuity first gave the idea W " of advertisement furnished an unparal- leled possibility in the furtherance of American commercial prosperity Frank in's effort in establishing libraries and the circulation of his Poor Richards Almanac" to the number of fifteen thou sand annually, fostered a national pride and stimulus to the growth of American literature. Even Lord Jeffrey the relent- less critic for the Edinburg Review is forced to grant to Franklin's writings "the vigor of Swift. the polish of Addi- son."
 Ideas of Education.
 As an advocate for education Franklin, the self-made man, had the most practi- cal appreciation of the ree1s of the masses. From his own experience he de- clares that. "He who has trade has an estate"
 Franklin also advocated manual train Ing for women rather than expending so much time in learning music and art: for he believed thereby that females could earn a better livelihood if thrown on their own resources.
 Unlike most men who have been denied academic training, though Franklin did not disparage college education, he deemed the study of the dead languages. by the average man, waste of time. He believed Gas English was the language most commonly in use by the colonies) in the establishment of English schools; and IS regarded as the founder of the University of Pennsylvania. Though Franklin himself engaged in the traffic of slaves, he believed in providing means for the education of the children born to free negroes.
 His Religion.
 Franklin came from a family that was Puritan of the Puritans. Tradition says that despite Boston snow and January bleakness. his Calvinistic mother took him the very day of his birth to the church for baptism. As lye was the tenth