The Coolidge examiner., 1933-01-13
Bust of Franklin
in the Hoil Of Fon1e
BY ELMO SCOTT WATSON

SeVeral years ago q historian an
swered that question in the affirmative and gave
as his reasons the following:
/. The expression of Franklns greatness did
not depend events beyond his control
2. He would have been great man In any
period of worlds history. in any land.
g. He would have been among the great even
II his endeavors had been confined to one only
of sereval lines of activity in which his achieve
ments were of the highest rank.
4. He would be great man II he were living
today
5. Franklin was known throughout the world
as great man long before the Revolution, in
which he played a part big as that OF any
other great man of the period Washington's
greatness began with the Revolution.
6. There is no exact standard by which human
greatness can be measured or compared. But
criterion is the opinion of citizens of other
nations-free from the prejudces. either for or
against. held by the fellow-cltizens of a great
man. Outside the United States Franklin would
be named more than any other American as the
greatest American and as one of the few greatest
men of all time
And in comparing these two great Americans
what finer tribute could he paid to the greatness
of Benjamin Franklin than paid by
Washington himself? Writing from New York
on September %. 1TS9. to express his sympathy
for an illness which had struck Franklin down.
Washington said: Would to God my dear
Sir. that / could congratulate you upon the re-
moval of that excruciating pain. under which you
labor. and that your existence might close with
as much ease TO yourself as its continuance has
been beneficial to country and useful to man.
kind: or, If the united wishes of free people
Joined with the earnest prayers Of every friend
Of science and humanity could relieve the body
from pains or infrInities; that you could claim
an exemption on this score. But this cannot be-
and you have within yourself the only resource
to which confidently apply for relief
phosOphic mind. IF to be venerated for
benevolence. If to be admired for talents If
to be esteemed for patriotism if to be
loved for philanthropy. can crafty the human
mind. you must have the pleasing consolation
to know that you have not lived in vain"
But dispensing with any invidious compar-
son between two great men. the listing of the
following outstanding achievements of BENJAMIN
Franklin should he ample proof ot the justness
of characterizing him as "The Greatest
American:
He discovered that lightning is electricity !;
proved II first by observation and logic and sec
ond by actual test with his kite; also invented
the lightning rod which Dr. Charles Stenmetz
said is still the best and most reliable protection
we have against lightning
He was the first to discover that a current Of
electricity has magnetic effect I. e. that it can
magnetic piece of steel This is the funda-
mental principle on which the telegraph, the tele-
phone and the electric motor are based
He gave the world the best theory of cleo
tricity and modern science has adopted his early
conclusions These were that electricity consists
of very minute PARTICLES small that they can
pass between the atoms or ordinary matter.
They now called electrons and have made
possible the radio.
Hs invented the franklin stove, the first sue
cessful wood burning stove used in this country
and he invented the invaluable contrivance by
which a fire consumes its own smoke and made
the first smoke-consuming stove or furnace
He helped establish the first chartered fire in
surance company in America
Among his many inventions should be in
cluded a three-wheel clock, library chair that