New-York tribune., 1912-02-18
Edison at 65 Years
Continued from first page.

FsnF
cheaper. Sir Richard Webster, now
ssS., mstice of England, was my counsel
~ sustained all my patents for many
...rs Webster had a marvellous capacity
-. understanding things scientific and his
sddress before the courts was lucidity it
s.T His brain is highly organized"
testimonial was presented to Mr.. Edi-
bvT c. Martin, and Edward II. John
n gave the inventor a silver loving cup
:, hsbslf OF Mr.. Edisons principal asso-
a,.,ss Mr.. insult responded for MIR. Edison
40 tbe congratulatory speeches that were
made
IN the course of the reception that fol-
,,vsd the dinner Mr.. Edison was asked If
,bs Young men of to-day had as good OPP
,oy+rnjties as his boys" enjoyed in the
Ns
vorng fellows of to-day don't have enough
.nap or ambition. They need somebody
,ovrng 'em up all the time-study the
,loek too much. Hard to get the right
ones"
II was suggested that perhaps these
Young men were preparing themselves for
the socialists four-hour working day.
90 don't believe in socialism," he replied.
.Trs wild dream. If they ever got a
four-hour working day the socialists would
want double pay because they would have
twice as much time to spend 1t in. So
elalists don't want to work. The men who
make a success want to work. Socialism
will never get there. Did you ever hear of
any of theose colonistic things that didn't
break down? Socialism will break down"
Mr. Edison said he had always read
novels with keen enjoyment. Dickens's
centenary being mentioned, he said his
fsyorite among that authors books was
"a Tale Of Two Cities" Attention was
called 10 the apparent difficulty encoun-
tered by the American committee in rails
Ing funds for the Dickens heirs.
Mr.. EDISoN'S EXPLANATION.
"That sort of thing doesn't appeal 10
the American people" Mr. Edison replied.
'The American people haven't much sym
pathy for a lot of grandchildren of any
body who can't rustic around little bit
for themselves. / should think that they
would 90 without rather than ask for help
Of this sort Their grandfather wouldn't
have done it."
Two of the guests were laughing over
the recollection of Mr.. Edisons advice 10
man Of their acquaintance, given by the
inventor in the early sos, To this man
Mr. Edison said:
You're too damned popular; go get some
enemies"
There was knot Of storage battery men
present. Talk, drifte1 TO discussion Of
the rough road that Mr. Edison had had
to travel TO bring his storage battery TO
perfected state. Some one laughngly re-
minded the crowd OF Mr.. Edisons early
estimate of the storage battery. The COM
msnts bore on the early type Of lead cell.
The fact was noted that on various occa-
sions since Mr. Edison had been facetious-
ly reminded of these criticisms.
One of the group recalled that Mr.. Edi-
son had said: 81 know of nothing that will
50 develop mans latent capacity for lying
as storage battery"
yes laughed another man. land do
you remember that he said at another time
that II the Almighty had ever intended
lead to be used in a storage battery He
would have made it lighter?"
yes" chimed in another early associ-
ate Of the inventor, "and you remember
that at another time he said: The damned
things wet
Among those who filed out Of the dining
room to met their friends who arrived for
the reception were Charles A. Benton,
prominently connected with Mr.. Edison in
the early electric light days and afterward
with the sprague Railway and Motor Com
pahy; William A. Brock, who is at the
head Of the big lighting and power plant
at Paterson. n. j.; Charles L. Clarke, for
merly chief engineer at No. 65 Fifth avenue
and connected with Mr. Edison's early work
at Memo Park; Charles A. Coffin, president
OF the General Electric Company; W. II.
Meadowcroft, formerly connected with the
parent Edison Company and at present at
the Orange laboratory.