Newark post., 1914-07-01
PLEA FOR
COMMONSENSE
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May | now suggest that rep
lica of the Mckenzie statue could
be fittingly given by this famous
university, especially at this time
when we are celebrating the cen
tennary of peace between England
and America, to the city OF Lon
don to commemorate the fact that
also in that great metropolis
Franklin worked for time as a
iourneyman printer and later rem
dered distinguished services as the
agent Of the Colonies.
Il next suggested that the sac
red remains of Franklin and his
wife. now in a neglected cemetery
which must some day yield to the
II eds of modern improvement,
should be reverently eXhumed and
given more fitting sepulture. Would
it not be most in keeping with
Franklin s ideals and character to
give his remains a final resting
PLACE within this great institution
whose prOudest boast it is that 1t
is the University of Franklin.
Finally, | urged that the truest
monument to Franklin should be
Philadelphia itself, and especially
the great institutions which Frank
lin founded, Of which this Univer-
sity is beyond question the greatest.
He loved this city with a cOnsum-
ing love. If the present generation
would only have a revival of his
spirit of individual initiative and
enlightened ambition the possibili-
ties of this city and its great Uni
versity are unlimited.
CITY OF WASTED OPPORTUNITIES
In proportion to what Phila-
delphia might have been, it is a
city of wasted opportunities. With
an inefficient and archaic form of
government, and at times dominat-
ed by the most sordid of grafters.
it has always reminded me Of Gull
liver bound down to the earth by
petty Lilliputians. 1t might have
remained the capital of the nation
had not its petty politicians of that
day sold the birthright of this his
toric city of America for a mess of
pottage. This opportunity, which
would have made it one of the four
great capitals of the world, was lost
forever, as so many other oppor-
tunities have since been lost, by the
shameful way in which the future
of the city has at times been sold
for personal advantage.
Time has not ceased to run and
many centuries are yet before this
noble and historic city. Let it but
have the genius and lofty purposes
of its Franklin, let it but initiate
his spirit Of individual initiative
and indomitable courage, let it but
have his genius for concentration,
consolidation and cooperative cit
izenship and it will come to pass
that Philadelphia will gain that
high rank among the cities of the
world to which it is so clearly des-
tined.
When in the infancy of Phila-
delphia and shortly after Frank
lin first walked it's streets, Thomas
Penn visited his colony, the leading
men of the little city presented him
a petition in which they asked him
so to foster education and culture
that Philadelphia would become
under his enlightened patronage
the Athens of America.
"Thus early did our forbears
hitch their wagon to a star. This
also was Franklin ideal for his
adopted city, and while he lived it
was indeed the Athens of Amer
MORE THAN COMMERCE
"The time is past when Philadel-
phia can become the commercial
metropolis of this country. What
of it? There is something more in
life than traffic or commerce. If
Florence had only developed the
commercial spirit, it would not be
today Mecca for all who prefer
culture to mere money making.
Men and brethern, is it too
much to hope that Philadelphia
may again have in full measure the
spirit of her Franklin? As a mas
ter builder he was true Floren-
tine and a worthy yoke-fellow of
the great Leonardo and Michael,
Angelo. Let this generation be ac-
tuated by his civic enterprise and
it will then build in the lofty spirit
of the Commune of Florence six
centuries ago, when it ordered it's
illustrious leader, Arnolfo,
to make a design for the reno
walton Of Santa Reparata, in
style of magnificence which