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Show A Blighted Hope. Dr. Franklin was the greatest philosopher philoso-pher America has produced and one of the wisest men in practical matters, yet he made as bad a break as man could well make in disposing of bis property by will. Among other things ho left a fund of $T,000 for young mechanics of the city of Boston. It should be managed in a way directed by the doctor himself, and after its accumulations had reached a sufficient sum it was to be available for the benefit of young apprentices who had faithfully served their tima. But when the money reached by increase such a sum that it would do what Franklin Frank-lin calculated on, behold, the apprentice system was done away with almost altogether. alto-gether. Men worked in factories instead in-stead of serving apprenticeships, and machinery ma-chinery did what the huir.n hand had done in the days of Benjamin Franklin. The original 5,000 has increased to $308,741.12. Not knowing what to do with it the authorities of Boston sought to make use of It to improve Franklin park. The descendants of Franklin have, however, enjoined them from this, and claim the money for themselves on the ground that it has not been used accord' ing to intent of the will. Now tho lawyers law-yers will get most of it, and it will not do anybody any good. The moral is that which Benjamin Franklin himself enforced so often: "Wben you. want a thing done, do it yourself. |