Smyrna times., 1927-02-23
WINS HONOR IN ESSAY CONTEST
Richard c. Price Wins First Honors i,
(A) English Competitive Contest

/ "AAbSOA ny AhiCIldTQ ". HrlCa
which won first honors in the 9 (a)
English Competitive Contest on the
subject Benjamin Franklin's Contri-
button to American independence"
There is Scotch saying which
runs thus: "When there is need. the
mon aye rises for the deed" And
when the colonies were in their great
est need, there rose a man capable
meeting that need. This man whom
all knew, respected, and loved, was
Benjamin Franklin.
Of seventeen children he was the
youngest except two daughters. His
father, wishing him to becL ne a min
lister, sent him to school, but was soon
compelled to remove him because of
so limited an income. On returning
from school, Franklin was set to work
In his fathers candle shop. He was
not interested in this occupation, and
his father, realizing his discomfort,
inquired of him as to what occupation
ne would desire to follow. He then
expressed his desire of becoming a
sailor, but his father would not al
low him to follow this work, and soon
he was transferred to his brothers
printing shop where he labored as an
apprentice.
Franklin was exceedingly desirous
of acquiring an education, and devot-
ed all his spare time to reading and
studying. It was his aim to earn suf-
ficient that he would be enabled to re-
tire and devote his time to public
service
He did not stay long in the employ
ment of his brother, but ran away to
Philadelphia, where he established
himself as a printer. Because of his
publications of the Pennsylvania
Gazette" and "Poor Richards All
manac" he became known all over the
colonies. He was elected clerk to the
assembly in 1730,and postmaster soon
afterward.
With increase of business, the re-
suit of industry and good work, and
of influence based on character. he
was, when but thirty years old, one
of the most prominent citizens of
Philadelphia. When trouble broke
out with the Indians, Braddock, an
English general, came to the colonies
with troops to suppress the rebellious
red men. When, on arriving in Amer
lea, no means of transportation for
the troops was to be had, Franklin
volunteered to get horses and wagons,
which he did by advertising widely in
his papers for them. When there was
another Indian outbreak on the from
ties, Franklin was selected to go and
supervise the building of forts. Fin
ally, the affairs between the French,
Indians, and English became so criti-
cal that delegates assembled at AL
bany to discuss matters.
Franklin, who was sent from
Pennsylvania, drew up plan for the
union of all the Colonies under one
government, and found, on his arrival
that several of the commissioners had
done the same thing. There was
general belief in the necessity of such
union for the better defense of the
Colonies, and the subject was discuss
ed with great deliberation. The plan
finally adopted, based upon that pro
posed by Franklin, provided for fed
eral government, consisting of Pres
ident-General and a Grand Council.
The President was to be appointed by
the Crown, with veto power over
the acts of the Council; the Council
was to be a popular Congress, COM
posed of a designated number of del
egates chosen by the Assembly Of
each Colony. The Congress was to
meet annually, and oftener if sum
moned by the President, and the term
of service of members was to be
three years. This constitution of gov
ernment was submitted in due time to
the Board of Trade in England, and
to the Assemblies of the several prov
inces, but was rejected by both. In
England it was thought to give too
much power to the people; in Amer
lea the fear was that too much was
granted to a royal President" This
convention, however, tried to impress
upon the Indians how disastrous it
would be to them should they allow
the French to build forts on the Ohio
River.
AS money was needed to maintain
an army, the Provincial Legislature
was forced to tax all the people. The
Governor thought that the Proprie-
taries should be exempted from this
tax, SO they had but very small sum
to pay, but the Governor refused to
pay even that. This disgusted Frank
lin so that he lost his usual placidity,
and denounced the Governor SO that
he resigned, and the next one who
came in office Jared no better with the
Legislature than the proceeding one.
1t now became necessary for the Col
onists to lay their troubles before
Parliament. Franklin, being chosen
as the most capable one to represent
the Colonies, was sent to England,the
Assembly giving him fifteen hundred
mounds to defray the travelling ex-