The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-29
BIG LITTLE THINGS.
Observation of Small Events Has Led
to Important Discoveries.

Most of the great discoveries of the
world have resulted from the atten-
tive observation of little things. The
art of printing. which has developed
the human mind, promoted civiliza-
ton, liberaiized men, revolutionized
religious beliefs, and changed the
form of governments, owes it's origin
to rude impressions, for the amuse-
ments of children, from letters carved
on the bark of a beech tree. A verger
in the cathedral at Pisa, after filing
with oil a lamp which hung from the
roof, left it swinging to and fro. Cali
leo, then eighteen. noting it attentive
ly, conceived the idea of applying it to
the measurement of time.
After fifty years of hard study and
labor he completed the invention of
the pendulum. In like manner, hav-
ing heard that the children of a Dutch
spectacle maker, by placing several
looked through them at a distant OBJ
ject, the glimpse thus afforded Calico
led to the invention of the telescope.
A seaweed floating past Columbus
ships was little thing, but it enabled
Columbus to Quell the mutiny which
had arisen among his sailors, and to
show them that the eagerly-sought-
for New World was not far Off
The cacklipg of goose is tabled to
have saved Rome from the Gauls and
flies fastened the birth of American
Independence. The continental con-
gress had its meeting in livery sta
BILE Its members wore knee breaches
and silk stockings, and with handker-
chiefs IN hand they were diligently en-
ployed in flashing the flies from their
legs. To so great an Impotence did
the flies arouse the sufferers that it
fastened. if it did not aid, in inducing
them promptly to sign their names to
that immortal document, the greatest
W cr9U irfI,
empire republic.
Mcclellan lacked the dash and en-
ergy of Grant, but McClellan,s pa
tience for details put the Army of the
Potomac which had been broken UP
and disorganized, in the condition
v hich enabled Grant to hurl it with
crushing force against the enemy
Grant said, "I'Il fight 1t out on this
line il it takes all summer" but the
lines on which Grant Fought it out
and won out were laid by Mcclellan.
who had compacted and solidified the
separate units of each regiment. He
personally arranged the details of
camp life and superintendent every de-
rartment of the, unwieldy body of raw
recruits. His scientific skill in looking
after details and genius for small
things built the bridge over which
Grant marched to victory.
Napoleon combined the qualities of
Mcclellan and Grant-he had first
class organizing ability and the power
to execute his plans. We find the
hero of Austerlitz directing the pur-
chase of horses, arranging for an ad-
vance supply of saddles, and giving di-
rections about shirts for the troops
His familiar knowledge of details, pre-
meditated and carried out to the let
ter, resulted in his colossal triumph.
The battle Of Dunbar was decided
against the Scotch because their
matches had given out A bridge at
Anglers, France, went down because
the regiments kept step Willie cross
il g--the aggregation of similar treads
became an. irresistible power of de-
acknowledgement of little things
either make or break.
Washington, oven while President,
was so attentive to little things that it