Mr. Tesla May Be Only Trifling

Mr. Nikola Tesla has temporarily abandoned his plan of establishing telegraphic communication with the planet Mars, and is once more devoting his attention to telegraphing across the ocean without the use of wires.

We have watched Mr. Tesla for some time with much interest, because he has promised so much and done so little. The hope has been entertained that he had not taken the public entirely into his confidence, but was really holding back some one of the hundred or more discoveries he has made, intending eventually to spring one of them when least expected upon an amazed and admiring public. Because of this, some disappointment is caused by the announcement that Mr. Tesla is keeping up his practice of flitting from one great project to another without taking time to perfect his system regarding any one of them.

Mr. Tesla some time ago announced the intention which he now has in view of connecting the two continents without the use of such superfluities as wires, and had made such progress with his invention that upon one of his trials he succeeded in establishing a current over a distance of something more than a mile.

That was encouraging enough, and it was appreciated that when he could improve his system four or five thousand fold he would succeed in his undertaking, and the only anxiety felt was as to the possible length of his life.

Then Mr. Tesla switched from his original purpose and began projecting skyward, which was also considered a commendable enterprise, provided, of course, he succeeded in accomplishing all he was attempting.

But when he begins to shift from one of his great schemes to another at such frequent intervals, holding out to an anxious public only promises that all of them will succeed if he is left alone, there is ground for discouragement.

We have long hoped for the best possible results from Mr. Tesla's efforts, but it is rapidly becoming one of those instances of hope too long deferred.