Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1924-01-18
UNCLE TED'S BEDTIME
STORIES
FrankIin-Greatest American

! well, 1 wish they would make it a
- holiday, so we wouldn't have to go to
= school," exclaimed Ruth.
= $50 do l." responded Jack.
e Make what a holiday" inquired
9 Uncle Ted
Benjamin Franklins birthday-the
= 18th of January" replied both the
e children, eagerly.
( well, now, don't think Benjamin
Franklin would like that very well, if
he had anything to say about it" re-
marked Uncle Ted. Franklin was not
much of hand to go off on holiday.
He believed in work. 1t is altogether
likely that if Franklin's birthday were
made a holiday for the purpose of hon
Oring his memory and emphasizing
his achievements, we would do every
thing under the sun except follow his
example"
Tell us something about Frank
lin," urged Ruth. about all I know
of him was that he sent up q kite and
held key near it and got some cleo
tricity from the clouds. There is
picture of that in one of my books"
"That picture just illustrates one
line of Franklin's accomplishments,
replied Uncle Ted. "He was one of our
early students of electricity and made
some discoveries and announced some
principles which have been confirmed
by all subsequent Investigations. But
it was not in electrical investigations
that Franklin rendered his greatest
service.
1.-THE fact of the matter is that, all
things considered, Franklin has been
our greatest American. Washington is
known as the Father of his country,
as Lincoln was its savior, and both of
those men deserve all the praise that
can be given them. But neither of
them served the country and its peo-
pie in as many ways as did Franklin.
Franklin was our greatest diplo-
mat and succeeded in securing the aid
of France in our Revolutionary War.
He negotiated and signed the treaty Of
peace under which our independence
was recognized He made a multitude
of friends for the Colonies not only in
France but in Great Britain. Every
body who knew him respected and
loved him because of his splendid
character and genial spirit.
Franklin had very little school ed
ucation, and began work as printer
when he was Is years old, but he read
and studied during his spare time and
became one of the best educated men
of his time. He became a master prin-
ter when he was II, at which age he
left his native town of Boston and
went to Philadelphia where he was the
best printer in the city. 1t was in
Philadelphia that he did the work that
made him famous.
81 won't have time to tell you all
about Franklin, so 1 will just hit the
high spots as the saying is. Among
his accomplishments for the material
welfare of the people 1 may mention
his invention of the stove, which kept
peoples homes much warmer with far
less fuel than was possible with the |
fire place previously in use. He made |
the plans and supervised the work for
the first street paving, organized the |
fire department of Philadelphia, and |
established a system of street clean !
ing.
Franklin founded the University of !
Pennsylvania, established the first |
circulating library in the United
States, founded the publication which
was then the best of its kind in the
United States and, under new name,
still continues in that class. He form
ed debating clubs which kept the
people interested in and informed up
on public questions. He organized
military companies for the defense of
the Pennsylvania colony against the
Indians. When General Braddock
could not get horses and wagons and
teamsters to carry supplies on his ex-
petition against Fort Duquesne,
Franklin gave his personal obligation
to the settlers and secured the aid
"In 1853, more than 20 years before
the Revolution, Franklin was dele
gate to an intercolonial congress at
Albany, New York, and proposed a
plan for local independence with I'M
ion" the principles of which were fol-
lowed when we came to form our
United States Government. Franklin
was a member of the Continental
Congress, was a member of the COM
mittee which drew up the Declaration
of independence and was one of its
signers. He was a member of the Con- s
Convention, and was of 7
great influence in drafting the pro- {
visions of that document. He was the
only man who participated in all three f
Of these great events-the drafting of i
he Articles of Confederation, the Dec +
aration of independence and the d
lrafting of the Constitution. Franklin v
S the only American accorded a place n
n the World Hall of Fame, in Paris. h
But with all these great things I !;
nave mentioned in the achievements h
If Franklin, I doubt whether I have q
mentioned the most important. a
ometimes think that Franklin's h
,reatest service to his country was IN "
he writing of his Poor Richards AL c,
nanac,' which set forth principles of
Industry and thrift which have had a Fl
reat part in shaping the character of Il
he American people. is
you can get a copy of Poor Rich G;
rd's Almanac for 25 cents, or per- cr
APPS less, and hope you will do so. n
would give you one but knkOw you s.
yill value it more if you buy it your al
elf. I shall quote you one or two OF is
lis sayings that come to my mind III
lst now. You know we are talking a Al
reat deal about taxes, but Franklin th
it the truth when he said that If n,