The Washington herald., 1911-08-19
WHOLEADS
WAY TOGREAT DISCOVERIES
If We Would All Become Optimists Men and Women
Might Even Stop Now and Then to Look at
the Glory of the Sky
By THOMAS TAPER.

reaching the moon some day, by some
kind Of contrivance. Mr.. Serviss knows
more about that than I do; but what
struck me forcibly In his article was this:
THE great public has little regard for
dreamers. Nevertheless, the
dreamers always lead the way. Day
dawns where they point, though they
may be in their graves long before the
sunrise"
We ought to read this three or four
times, and keep It by US for use In an
emergency. II our mental attitude as q
public was constantly with the best ef-
fort of our times, instead Of against 1t.
there would be a great change.
We should all become optimists. We
would be hopeful instead Of hopeless.
There would be less poverty. A man
might even stop now and then to look at
the glory Of the sky instead of the refuse
in the cutters. Men and women would
thank God for children instead Of beat
ing them. And much more, though even
these few things sound more like heaven
than earth as 1t Is.
What Good VIII 1t DOT
But suppose men do fly to the moon.
what good will it do mother? Mamie's
shirt waist must be done up, even when
the thermometer is 81. And father must
work in the sun for 81 a week. whether
it is 81 or 10 below zero. What good Will
1t do them?
A good many things have happened in
the world about which that very ques-
ton has been asked. One example is as
good as a thousand.
When Franklin was flying his kites and
studying electricity, some one came up
the street and called out:
What's the good Of that, Mr.. Frank
lin?'
And he replied:
What is the good of babies?"
So 1t came about that the electricity
baby grew up. kept on thriving. and now
IT is big enough to pull mother and father
and Mamie all around town and out into
the country for a nickel. Even Franklin
himself did not suspect that Of his baby.
The trouble with us Is that we always
think an invention or a new discovery Is
the end of the proposition. As matter
Of fact 1t is always the beginning.
Everybody was interested once in STAN
ley's search for DR.. Livingstone in At
rica, but the most far-seeing of them
never suspected that Africa would be
provided with railways and become a
hunting ground for Presidents
Who Thought of 1t Thenf
When the first daguerreotype was a
success who ever dreamed that the pro-
cess which made the shadowy picture
would one day lead a man to find way
to photograph a mans skeleton.
Who thought of that then? =
No Jules Verne ever suspected 1t.
1t is within the memory of all who
read this paper that when ship at sea
was in trouble. everybody gave up hope
of rescue, prayed. II they could, and
waited to go down. Now man sits In
a little cabin studying a chart OF the
ocean that shows him where every vessel
is, sends out call through the air and
waits for help.
It generally comes.
II any one had ever tried to tell this
tale to the sailors of the fleet command
ed by Christopher Columbus he would
need to have been provided with blum
derbus to protect himself.
For the most part, we are, all OF US,
lust like these sailors. when shall We
20 to the moon?' Ninety-odd millions
of people in the United States alone think
they can prove to you to-day that this
will never be done.
But do not forget the dreamers-
They always lead the way.