Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-15
NOW MY IDEA is THIS!
Daily Talks With Thinking Phladelpans Subjects They
knOtv Best
knOW Best

and the income from it has been awarded
eyer since: This year it goes to Paul II.
ieyl and Lyman j. Briggs for their inven-
tion or the earth inductor compass, by means
OF which 1t Is possible for IN aviator to locate
MS position even though above the clouds.
Treasures Of the Society
The need Of the Philosophical Society
& lor new building is for other reasons than
merely for more ROOM The society has some
OF the greatest treasures of American his
tory, and these should be in thoroughly
hreproof building. Among these are the
:nalr IN which Jefferson wrote the Declara-
tion of Independence, the bust of the Mar.
qnis Of Condorcet by IIoudon, by means of
winch the curator Of the Louvre discovered
that certain busts in the Louvre were incor.
rsctiy labeled. and the old library chair of
insen1amin i,s1 Franklin, which when the seat Is
used to reach the higher books This chair
Is used as the official chair of the president
of the society,"
BESIDES these there are scrapboOks which
contain more than SO per cent of the writings
OF franklin and curious pamphlet of DR..
Jesn.,SSn JemrsiS ana NJ Blanchard, Frenchman,
H"scrlping the first flight over the English
Ghahnel in balloon, this flight being made
ny these men, In the shaft nut nm by the
frehch Government to commemorate this
feat Dr. .i"ftreys is described as an English.
man ,propaDly because he spoke English).
Dut ne was an American, coming from
Boston. '''"'
Another relic is the clock made by David
Klttenhouse to observe the transit OF Venus
IN l'o3. At that time this was the only
known method Of computing the distance
between the earth and the sun, the yardstick
venus in 1864. another in 1869 and then not
nnot%Sr one until 1874. which I saw myself
1t so happened that all the European asfron.
omsrs had cloudy weather in 1863. while 1t
was clenr here. AS result the observations
or l,hvd Rittenhouse were the only ones
| which could be made and they stood for
| 100 years. '''
State Aid Needed
'lt t. is important to note that the Ameri-
can Philosophical Society Is still carrvinp
out the original plan Of the Royal Society
founded by Charles II; which is the pre-.
,'iier scientific BODY OF the world. ] like
the corporate title Of the American Pbilo.
sophical Society and always used it during
| my presidency. 1t IL "rhc American phiIo,
SSoophirhl Society, held at Philadelphia for
Promoting Useful Knowlegc, and it seems ms
| of benjamin Franklin.
| IL Is the oldest society in the countrv
| alnI tn" Stntc has never done anytLlng fH,,
| u except 10 give the lot In Indenen'lcnrs
! square; W hen the bicentenary of Franklin
| was hrli few years ago the State npDro.
prin'"u S-"'uoo' nut It was not for the
|
The society should have the hearty sum
| port Of the citizens Of Philadelphia and smn;-
cient state aid to put it well upon lis f"at
ana enable 1t to erect II new building which
| nrcd not be very large, but should he nh.o"
lutey ilreproof. so that the priceless r"Ii',
| when II possesses may be safe from any ,,ns
| sible risk of loss. ""' hos-
| An appropriation from the State mich.
DC used either in this way or il might tn 49,,
| toward an endowment. The society hv rs pits
sllthoin achl"'cnents in the past has sbsJ
great glory on the State aud It has been ~
vast scient ltic value to the Government oI
| ihoneh II does not bear the official relation 70
II that some other organizations have W
| , Ah"ih"r treasure of the society j. .ho
| T'lper' stuart portrait of Washington v,h,ah
| hahgs over IN" enranc" door. Ii was n,im,.1
py "ro'r Of the society and is one of th',
very lew n"r'rh!tS of the first Prcsident tbot
Is M s,n' J." III" bands oF its nri"inoi "v,nm. ,"a'
'Ih' liondon bust of the Maroujs NJ r"n r"r'
horret haS nn Interesting history, !, '"n '''a
| n'' IVY " .'nr' y" n noble family nf L'ro was
but when 'ondorcet turned Liberal nnd d",""'
eniuo'ihcn the owner sent the bust II" ,Si M"S
grace 10 10" basement or some other ,,h MS
| place. wh"rc 1t could not be seen. II. "LIunre ,Lre
ahouts were learned bv the senr,,nnre ",'re.
,'"hn Adams who was often "A visitor 70
home, Adams asked for the hIst r., r." 'nnt .n
| American Philosophical SOrietr md -; ~"
given to him. John Adams. second pros,,ywas ps was
of the United States; was also In, 'sa.neht snoa
president of the Philosophical Soc,.oihd Sctohd
! Iholnns JEFFERSON succeeding him A. tsy,
the society, ana Of