The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-02-18
HONORING PROPHETS.

! A dispatch announcing that DR., Solo
mon Farley Acree, formerly of the Uni,
versitv Of Utah, is to become assist,
ant chief of the bureau Of chemistry
in Washington states that Though
compare lively unknown in America, DIR.
Acree is standard chemical author
ity abroad. - Moreover, ne has been
described by department Of agricul-
ture official as ''the greatest chemist
alive, and recent German textbooks,
in which he is literally quoted, indi-
cate his high standing in Europe
This is case where prophet at
length has obtained honorSin his own
tiou throughout the rest of the civ
ilized world. 1t recalls story, prob
ably apocrvphal, but very interesting,
which used to be told among the news.
paper men in Chicago.
Two Partisan savants registered at
the Auditorium annex and were be-
sieged by the reporters. Asked the
object of their visit, they said that
they had come all the way from France
TO see the famous professor, John A.
Johnson. Would the reporters kindly
direct them TO the university at which
he was teaching?
The reporters had never heard Of Pro
fessor johnson, and naturally they
made some inquiries of the savants,
who described the professor az the au-
thor of several works on astronomy
which had attracted much attention in
| Europe, because they presented re-
markable discoveries and outlined strik.
ing new theories. The reporters then
volunteered TO take the ssvants to the
| professor. They called up the Univer-
/ sity Of Chicago; there was no Profes-
sor Johnson there. They called up the
Northwestern university; not there,
! Then they telephoned to various pri-
vatc colleges and institutions, no Pro
fessor Johnson,
The savauls were much mysti6ed and
astonShed; they gesticulatcd earnestly
and talked with enthusiasm about the
wonderful professor, and thought there
must be some mistake. Finally one of
the reporters said
! II know clerk over here in a de.
| partmcnt store who dabbIcs in astron-
omy. He lives out my way and l think
| he has a telescope on the roof of the
! apartment house in which he lives;
suppose We walk over and see if he
can direct MS TO Professor Johnson
They found the clerk busily engaged
| in selling Deekties and shirts.
Beg your PARDON said the repor-
ter, 81 forget your name, but these
gentlemen are anxious TO see al as
tronomer named John 4. Johnson, who
is said TO live in Chicago
=" am John a. Johnson replied
the clerk. ''what can | do for you7'
Needless to say, the savauts were
amazed, They had expected the IA
nous astronomer to he the leading light
at prominent university. living in
ease and comfort among his books and
instruments, and they found him an en-.
ployee at the haberdashery counter OF
a department store.
In country such as ours, where
business and industry lead the process.
sion and where science and scholarship
often bring up the rear. even the most
efficient sayants are sometimes neglect
ed for wears Others who are less cap.
able, but who understand the value
Of publicity, gain honors and riches
that rivals might claim more Justly,
Each age has its class of men fitted
to survive. The man who succeed.
in an age such as this might have
been begGsr in the England o,
France Of the middle ages Napoleon
would cut little figure in the America
Of today. or, il his remarkable quail
ties of intellect and Will thrust him tc
the front he probably would bp Na