Evening star., 1926-05-02


revolution than any military
hero could ever dream of. the man
who first saw the value of the prac-
tical application of electricity and in.
vented the telepragh--Samuel Finley
Breese Morse.
While Charlestown. Mass, can
claim Morse as a native son, the in
ventor of the telegraph has always
been closely connected with Washing
ton, the city In which he repeatedly
tasted of the bitter cup OF despair. but
where ultimately he was to prove the
success Of the invention which
brought him fame and fortune and
gave his name TO Immortality.
1t Is not generally known that
Morse spent the first half of his life
as an artist. turning to invention
when il seemed that art had been es-
tablshed as his life's work. In 1921
he made studies for an immense pie
ture Of the House of Representatives
here, with portraits of each of the
members. and for this he obtained the
use of one of the rooms in the Capitol
lie spent as many as 16 hours a day
on this work. toiling in the famous
White building over on Capitol Hill.
When the picture was exhibited the
)ublic refused TO be interested in II.
E0d it was finally sold to an English
man. who took il TO London. In this
same Capitol Building Morse later
proved to Congress ana members OF
the cabinet, as we'll as the world at
lurge, that his telegraph was not
y i'll dream Of the imagination. but
,he greatest invention for marking
new era In civilization that the world
has ever known.
Morse was 100 years ahead of his
time. He foresaw that in affairs OF
state, in commercial dealings. rapid
communication might mean the avoid
Gnce of war. or the saving of great
enount of money: that in matters
close to the hearts of the people. in
Nt&nt communication might save the
life of a loved one, or bring those far
sway hurrying to the bedside OF the
dying When he was studying art
in England. his letters to his friends
here showed his thought Of such an
instrument of quick communication
as the telegraph. To friend he wrote:
Il think you will not complain of
the shortness of this letter. | only
wish YOU now had it to relieve your
minds from anxiety. for while | am
writing I can imagine mamma wish
3ng that she could hear of my arrival.
and thinking of thousands of accidents
that may have befallen me, and wish
that In an instant I could communi-
cate the information; but 5000 miles
are not passed over in an instant and
we must wait four long weeks before
we can hear from each other.
The world is just beginning to re-
HliZe that the economical development
which followed that first Morse mes
sage. that all the achievements in the
realm Of electricity are founded upon
tire basic invention of this man, who
but his scientific dreams into prac-
dice. Little do we realize that our
nightly radio entertainment of music,
speeches and lectures is due primar-
sly to the genius of Morse. Would
<ve be so progressive today without
instant contact with the rest of the
world, without the farsightedness and
perseverance in the very face Of ad-
t-nrsity OF this man who first con
telved the idea Of gaining service
from the electric spark which Franz
lin caught with his marvellous Kite!
x 4
WHO can estimate the worth of this
w idea? From a humble begin
ming il has grown into a communlca-
tion system that reaches to the
Farthest ends of the earth. for the
telegraph is used in every country III
xhe world. Previous 20 Mo-se's eX-
periments, electricity had only been
experimental with III the laboratory
merely the theoretical side had Deeh
Thought Of. Now, thanks to NM time
and space are obli5erated With 'ne
ticking Of the Morse code as the cots
and dashes ceaselessiy spread intefll-
wence throughout the days and nights.
In blazing the trail by putting science
TO work for mankind ne undoubtedly
paved the way for the telephone, raoio
and the multitude Of subsequent IN
Mentions.
We honor the memory of Samuei
Finley Breese Morse beca use 1t was
He who first thought of the practical
use Of the electric spark; he was the
Sery first to demonstrate the money
value of electricity.
Although Morses fame rests on his
Invention of the telegraph. We should
not forget Morse, the artist. When
D. student at Yale the study OF art
appealed to him more than any other.
1pon his graduation. in 1917, ne &c
sermined to make it his chosen pro-
scSsion and went 10 London, WheEe
he studied with the illustrious painter.
Ben iamin West. So great was the
Mouths progress and enthusiasm that
he painted a large picture for eXhlpl
fion IN the Royal Academy. selecting
for his subject Dying Hercules His
skill as an artist proved 10 be tar
above the average, for one critic IN
The British press placed his picture
Hmong the nine best paintings III d
gallery which contained pictures py
such famous artists as Turner, Law
renee and Wilkie.
When abroad Morse formed init
mate friendships with such men as
Lafayette and James Fenimore Coop
er. while Napoleon, in later life. had
the profoundest respect for him. In
1915 he returned to America to prac-
rice his profession. and set up
studio in Boston. However, business
did not prove to be f1ourishing; peo-
pie showed no propensity for ordering
pictures and Morse's outlook was
ShadoWed with gloom. The inventive
genius. nevertheless. at that time
seemed to be alive. for in 1916, to-
gether with his brother, Sidney r.
Morse, he invented an Improvement
an a. pump for a fire engine. This,
which his brother insisted upon hui
Snorousiy calling "Morse's Patent
Metallic Double-head Ocean-Drinker
and Deluge-spouter Valve Pump
Boxes although then forced to go
begging for recognition. proved to be
valuable, for 1t was the forerunner
OF the modern fire engine. Eli Whit
ney, the inventor of the cotton gin,
and President jeremiah Day of Yale
were both enthusiastic over the dou-
ble.headed ocean.drinker, but the pub
lie persistently refused to be in
terested.
Finally Morse decided to settle in