Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-27

honor that the most venerable academies
of learning could bestow.
Never lived there a man more fdoliZed.
Everything about him was initiated and
! eAtolled; his spectacles, his marten fur cap,
mis- brown coat. his ba ESoo cane. 1t is inn
| possible to trace in q few words the growth
| of Franklin's vast European reputation 1t
rested primarily upon his scientific achieve
ments. The mind of Europe. pon!e.ing with
| all the intensity of first enthusiasm upon
natural science, was thrilled am amazed py
| the magnitude and meaning of Franklin 5
researches. At once he became. in world
| enamored of natural science, the OBJECT of
universal interest and admiration. Louis
Nv, through Abbc Mazeas, returned his
| thanks and compliments to DIR. Franklin of
| Pennsylvania for his discoveries in cleo
| tricity Artists printed him with lightnings
playing in the backg. Ound OF the picture. or
| lighting up his benign features. Condorcet
address ed him as the modern Promet1 e1s-
| Voltaire erected lightning rod u9oa his
house at Ferney.
tricity that Franklin made important con
| tributiOns to knowledge. He established
| the science of meteorology. demonstrated
| the geological theory of the earth in ad-
vance of Kant, held views upon light and
| heat that are perfectly consistent with
those held by Cavendish and Clerk Max
we'll. wrote upon contagious colds and the
| colica rictonum So successfully that he was
| elected TO membe! ship in the royal socie-
ties of medicine in London and Paris, and
touched informingly upon every subject
| familiar and Unfamiliar in the eighteenth
| century 1t is not strange that the world
| came to regard him as encyclopaedia OF
| universal knowledge. Men of learning, the
| foremost in their professions, approached
him in the attitude of pupils soliciting his
| exploitation of old problems and his Judg-
meut upon new theories.
To understand the political career OF
| Benjamin Franklin it is necessary to re-
vert to the years preceding the revolution.
Before the complaints of the colonists be-
lOnd and imDatieDt he ardent
and loyal inlperialist. His ideal was
firmly confederated union of states enjoy
ing liberty and autonomy. He believed that
n citizen of Boston or Phila adelphia should
enjoy precisely the same rights and prfvi-
leges citizen of Leeds or Sheffield. When
it was urged that in time the colonies, by
their growth, would become the dominant
half he answered, (Which is best, to have
a total separation change in the seat
of government But after years of labor
he could only say, Il do not find that !
have gained any point in either country,
except that of rendering myself suspected
by my impartialty in England of being
too much American. and in America Of
being too much an Englishman.'
He accomplished the great work alone.
His associates were much more in the ma
ture of hindrance than helps. The only
substantial aid came from France. The
treaty of alliance gave dignity and politt-
cal Importance to the insurgents and con-
verted a rebellion into revolution. 1t is
certain beyond the possibility of doubt
or contention that the independence of
America was won by the aid of France,
and it is equally certain that Franklin
alone obtained or could obtain that aid.
He turned the adulation with which he
was everywhere greeted into per-
petual benefit to his country. Amer
magnanimity of her ally After
hundred years the mere memory of the
heroic friendship, the unfaltering and I'M
swerving loyalty of France, brings pride
to he forehead lnStnr To the
Franklin's love for France and the love of
France far him forever must unite the two
nations that today lay upon his grave
wreath of deathless gratitude.
MI. Harjes' Remarks.
In presenting the statue to the munich
paNty Mr.. Harjes made a brief speech. He
said:
1T i. as an American citizen and more
particularly as a long years resident of the
city of Philadelphia that the idea occurred
to me of erecting In Paris visible repre-
| sentation of the great and eminent man,
| Benjamin Franklin. who was not only the
best of citizens, but also an enthusiastic
| patriot a renowned statesman and pro
found philosopher whose cultivated intellect
| brilliantly served in variety of helds oil
| scientific attainment
THE remembrance of him In this city OF
| Paris, to which he was fondiy attached py
| so many ties, and the proximity of that
| forcibly suggested to me this site, at the
| beginning of the street bearing his name.
| as the happiest choice for statue TO De
| raised in his memory in the very heart OF
| this country, for which he ever eVinced d
| lively attachment, prompted by sense OF
| the endless kindness-I might call 1t sincere
| anection-which was extended to him. Here
| he spent many of the happiest years of his
| life, and the ultra monarchical regime US
we'll as the most democratic of governments
| vie with each other TO do him honor While
| living, and in revering his memory after
| death.
1T was this enlightened and hospitable
| land whose generous effort and powerful
aid accorded him so much moral and ma
| teriaI support in furnishing him with men,
money. and, In fact. with everything need
| full to crown with conspicuous success the
| mission of our first ambassador and 70 ac-
| duire a permanent claim to our gratitude
No treaty, alliance Is necessary 10 con
tiuue among my fellow citizens a sense OF
lasting gratitude toward the sister republic,
| la Belle France fountain of friendship
| which ! trust will but grow and prosper as
| the years roll on
| Animated with these sentiments, 1t is
| with the greatest pleasure that tender 10
| the city of Paris the statue or benjamin
| Franklin and crave its acceptance"
History of the Statue.
The statue of Benjamin Franklin, un-
yelled today. Is appropriately erected in
| during the eventful eight years he spent in
| France. 1t stands on the Place du Troea-
| dero near the point where the Rue Frank
/ lin named in his honor, leads toward the
| heights of Passy. Ali about are reminders
| of Franklin's sojourn In Passy-here the
| Place Franklin further the Passage
| Franklin. and on the busy thoroughfare OF
| passy the antiquated Hotel Franklin.
1t was on the Rue Franklin that the villa
| stood surrounded by ample gardens, which
| became so well known as F'ranklln's home.
| The place is marked today by brass tab
| let affixed to the wall of tumbe-down
| edifice lately used religious school.
| but now closed under the law against re-
| ligious teaching. The tablet reads:
| Here stood villa dependency of the
| mansion of Valentinois. FRANKLIN oc-
cupied It from 1777 to 11S5, placing thereon
| the first lightning rod constructed In France.
| Historical Society of Auteuil and Passy,
/ March S. 1896
| No vestlge of the Franklin villa remains
| today but II is remembered as a substan-
| tlal two-story structure with commodious
! wings. surrounded by a terraced garden
! with walks shaded by double rows of linden
| trees Here Franklin matured the plans
I ' alix 90 = ~.