The Democratic advocate., 1909-03-26
EDsIsON's PREDICTIONS
Inventions That win Promote Comfort
and Luxury.

r---A -r--% - "
The next era will mark the most
wonderful advance In science and in
yention that the world has ever known
or hoped for. SO vast will that adj
vance be that we can now have scar
cely any conception Of its scope, but
already great many of the inven-
tions of the future are assured. 1t is
only Of those which regard as prac-
tical certainties that speak here.
1. Within twenty or thirty years
and it will start within the next two
or three-concrete architecture will
take enormous strides forward; the
art Of molding concrete will be reduc-
ed to science Of perfection, and, what
is equally important, of cheapness;
there will rise up large number of
gifted architects and through their
efforts cities and towns will spring
up In this country beside which Turn
er's pictures of ancient Rome and the
buildings of Columbian Exhibition will
appear common. But great expense will
not attend this; 1t will be done so
that the poor will be able to enjoy
houses more beautiful than the rich
now aspire to, and the man earning
$3.50 day, with family to support
will be better housed than the man OF
today who Is earning SO.
2. Moving picture machines will
be so perfected that the characters
will not only move, but will speak,
and all the accessories and effects of
the stage will be faithfully produced
on the living picture stage. This, Of
course, will not be done as well as on
the regular stage,bu its standard will
approach very near to that, and the
fact that such entertainment will be
furnished for cents will draw vast
numbers OF the working classes. The
result will be that the masses will
have the advantage OF the moral OF
good drama, they will find an inexpen-
sive eandimproving way OF spending the
evening, and the death knell OF the
saloon will be sounded.
3. In perhaps fifteen or twenty
years-depending on the financial
condition of the eountry--the loco
motive will pass almost altogether
out of use, and all our main trunk
lines will be operated by electricity.
4. A new fertilizer will spring into
existence, containing q large percent
age Of nitrogen. This will be drawn
from the air by electricity, and will
be used to increase the arability Of
the land Even now this is done to
a large extent In Sweden.
5. All our water power will be
utilized by electricity TO an extent
now almost unthought or will be used
with great advantage, both industri-
ally and for railroads.
Successful aerial navigation will
be established--perhaps for miles
ans will achieve a sound, practical
working basis
We shall be able to protect our
selves against environment by the use
OF serums and things OF that sort so
that the general state OF health will
improve and the average span OF life
will Increase by a large percentage.
The grand fight which is being made
against tuberculosis and cancer will
reach successful elimination. and
those diseases will be entirely MASTER
ed.
s. A new force In nature OF some
sort or other. will be discovered by
which many things not now under
stood Will be explained. We, nnfor-
tunately, have only ive senses: II
we had eight we'd know more.
y. we shall realize the possibilities
OF our coal supplies better, and will
learn how TO utilize them 30 that 90
per cent Of the efficiency will not be
thrown away, as II is today.
Finally, let II be said, as | stated
few days ago In the New York Times,
hardly any piece OF machinery now
manufactured is more than 10 per
cent. perfect. AS the years go on this
will be improved upon tremendously;
more automatic machinery will be
devised, and articles OF comfort and
luxury Will be produced In enormous
numbers at such small cost that all
classes viii be able to enjoy the BEN
eft of them.
These are some OF the inventions
which the world is awaiting which IL
Is sure OF seeing realized Just how
they will be realized is what the in
Ventors are working now 10 determine