The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-12-14
WHAT is THE WORLDS DEBT TO
GERMANY?

lines of development, scientific and
otherwise, and into ner hands should
be committed the supreme task OF
spreading civilization over the earth.
Mr.. ]. w. White, the we'll known
editor of the Fraternal Record, in
late issue of the Florida Times-Union,
combats this idea and asks: what
epoch-making invention or discovery
| is of German origin?"
| He then goes on to cite to what ex-
tend the world is indebted to other
nations, but when it comes to Ger
many there is almost blank.
The article is well worth perusai.
We make the following quotations:
"The steam engine, perhaps the
greatest of all inventions, broke the
shackles from slaves, mingled the
marts of the world and made neigh
bors and friends of far distant coun-
tries. Newcomer of Devonshlre oD-
tanned the first patent. Watt,
Scotchman, perfected it, and Cuynot,
Murdoch and Trevithick brought for
ward the locomotive, not on German
| soil. Stephenson, an Engllshman,
was the first to, use it for passenger
traffic: France, England and America
applied it to navigation. When all
was completed, Germany, as usual,
tagged it, Made in Germany
1.-THE telegraph, which brings us
the news of the world, was invented
lby Prof. Morse, an American, who
also suggested the Atlantic cable,
which was subsequently laid by that
great American observation-disclosures,
Cyrus Field, assisted by Lord Kelvin,
a British subject.
Graham Bell, the chief inventor of
the telephone, was born In Scotia nd.
and grew to fame in the United States.
"a young Italian, Marconi, gave
wireless telegraphy to the world.
"Cyrus Mccormick, native of
West Virginia, produced the reaping
machine, which harvests the food Of
the world.
"Merkle of England brought forth
the threshing machine; thus was FAM
inc banished.
Eli Whitney of Massachusetts pa
rentage, invented the cotton gin.
"Hargraves, an Englishman, made
the spinning jenny and Arkwright,
also an Englishman, supplied its def
cheney with his famous spinning
frame. Kay, another Englishman, in
troduced the fly shuttle in weaving;
Brunei devised the knitting machine
and cartwright the power loom Thus
was the world clothed.
"It was not Germany, worshipper
las that nation is at the shrine of
Mars, the god of war, that invented
gunpowder, smokeless powder, per-
cussion caps, nitro-glycerine, gun cot
ton, dynamite, torpedo, shrapnel. au.
tomato cannon, magazine rife. the
breech-loading gun, gunboat, gatling
gun, revolver Maxim silencer, iron
clad battery or ship, armor plate, re-
volving turret, submarine or airplane
Since Germany borrowed her military
appliances from other nations, we are
not surprised that she obtained her
devices of prosperity from the same
source.
ITO be brief, Germany did not pro-
duce the first sewing machine, electric
car, automobile, typewriter, circulat-
ing machine, cable car, sleeping car,
cash register, writing pen, bicycle, air.
brake, aniline dye, vulcanized rubber,
liquid gases, gas engines, water gas,
thermometer, pianoforte, barbed wire,
cut nails, plate glass, circular saw or
pneumatic tire.
Much as Germany has advertised
herself no son of hers invented the
electric light, the gas light, the acct
ylene light, the kerosene light, the
Isearchlight, the fiashlight, the candle
dip or the friction match. America,
England, France and other 'untutored
nations performed these wonderful
tasks.
Our own. gifted Edison brought
forth the motion picture to the delight
and instruction or millions and the
monograph to please the ear. A
Frenchman, Dauguerre, presented us
with photography.
"Galileo, who first saw the heavens
with telescope, was an Italian. The
men who first saw the earth and its
teeming life with a microscope were
not German beer guzzlers. The Ger.
mans are imitators, not inventors.
Edward Jenner. the discoverer of
vaccination. and Harvey. the discover