New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-14
THREE PRIME CONUNDRUhS.

A Down East newspaper, Inc Lewiston
Journal. respectfully but firmly requests an
answer to these three salient questions:
:, OF what nature viii be the next great economic
inventionl
Q. What great economic invention is mosf needed
and called for By the world
g. Docs anything remain TO be invented by man
which shall be revolutionary In Its effects as The
application Of steam poweri
The debating societies of our country, which
are abou. organizing for the season of 1888
'S9, will doubtless give the heterogeneous
hearty welcome. The societies are always cast
ing about for fresh subjects for discussion, and
those referred to are we'll calculated DO slim
ulate original thinking along practical lines.
Certainly they are much to be preferred to the
three mooted topics upon which youthful de-
baters have been accustomed to expend much
thought and more eloquence, namely: l.
When house is destroyed by fire, does it
burn I'D or burn DOWN. 2. In the order of
Nature which came first, the egg or the chick
en-? 0. Did Shakespeare write the plays OF
Shakespeare? number Of scientific gentle
men have already considered Tho Journals
questions. and the answers which they have
returned may assist the debating societies IN
reaching trustworthy conclusions
MIR. Edison regards the production of cleo
tricity direct from coal as the most needed
economic invention and the one most likely to
come next He does not undertake to answer the
third question Edward Atkinson holds that tho
greatest popular want is the conversion Of the
nitrogen of the atmosphere into food for plants
without the delay that adheres in present
methods. Professor Hutchins of Bowdoin Col
lege. thinks that the world yearns first Of all
for a perfected air-ship. General Greedy be-
heves that the next great invention will be the
storage of electricity without appreciate loss
but that the crying need Of the day is cotton
picker Professor Elder of Colby University
suggests that the most important of the coming
inventions will be cheap and easily regulated
method of generating electricity to be used as
a source of motion, light and heat Other in
yentons for which mankind is anxiously wait
ing, mentioned in other responses to the ques-
tons, are an electrical microbe destroyer, mo-
tor less costly than the steam engine, a machine
to separate aluminium from clay, and con
trivance for producing food containing only
those elements necessary for the nonrishment OF
the system.
Commenting upon these many and varied
responses, "The Boston Transcript" inquiries :
Why do not some Of these inventors in their
speculations aspire toward means OF utilizing
the surplus energies of the ocean tides ?" A
pertinent question-and if not the ocean tides
why not the Falls of Niagara? Inventors are
constantly rising to remark that Niagara only
needs to be broken to harness to turn all the
mill-w wheels Oh the continent. Buffalo has a
glittering chapet of fame and 100000 in
hard cash for the genius who is equal to con-
structing an adequate harness. There is yet
another and more important invention than
any that have been mentioned which has yet
to be placed upon the market. Very likely it
would be revolutionary in its effects. But like
the American Revolution, the effects would be
most gratifying. 1t is an invention that has
been longed for by all sorts and conditions Of
men and women from time immemorial. II
is not too much 20 affirm that it Is an inven-
ton that kings and prophets waited for, but
died without the sight" We refer to con-
t,ivance for getting rid Of bores without hurt
ing their feelings