Omaha daily bee., 1898-04-03

y It to you in a very few words, and 1t will
do for any other business In which you
might wish to engage. First, find out IL
there is a real need for the thing which you
want to invent. Then start in thinking
about 1t. Get up at 6 o'clock the first morn
ing and work until 2 o'clock the next morn
Ing. Keep on doing this until something in
your line develops itself. II IL don't do SO
pretty soon, you had better shorten your
sleeping hours and work little harder while
you are awake. II you follow that rule, you
can succeed as an inventor, or as anything
else for that matter. It was the following
of just such rule that led to the invention
of the electric light, the phonograph and
the kinetoscope."
ANY ONE MAY BECOME AN INVENTOR.
II believe" he continued. that any per-
son, even OF the most limited capacity, could
become an inventor by sheer hard work
You can do almost anything II you keep at
II long enough. or course, the man with q
natural aptitude would get there first, but
Che other plodder would eventually gain his
point. The constant brooding on the one
thing Is sure to develop new ideas concern
ing II, and these. In their turn, suggest
others. and soon the completed idea stands
out before you. Above all things man
must not give up, once he has outlined his
plan Of action. ball rolling down hill Is
sure to reach the bottom ultimately, no mat
ter how many obstacles stand In the way.
1t Is this principle which finally levels noun
tains. So once fairly on your way, don't
stop because Of some seemingly impossible
obstacle In front OF you. What you want
may be just beyond your nose, though you
do not see II.
IL once had that fact forcibly presented TO
me. was working on an invention and
finally reached a point when l could go no
further. The thing lacked something, but
try as might l could not tell what II was.
Finally got angry at 1t and threw the
I'LL reN Nh. ind ftnv
ward thought how foolish the action was
and went out and gathered up the wreck.
In putting 1t together again saw Just what
was needed Repairing the broken portions
suggested 1t, and 1t was SO simple that
wondered had not seen 1t before. Now
that little addition to the appaatus could
have been ascertained by a little thoughtful
experimentation. l suppose l found 1t out
quicker because Of the accident but that
does not alter the moral Of the incident.
HOW HE WORKS OUT HIS INVENTIONS.
"How do go about inventing con-
triance? Well. that IL hard to say.
Everything requires different treatment.
need for a thing. Then I go at it and at
tack It In every way I can think out. This
multiplied attack soon SINNERS down until
get what might be called a composite Idea
something which Is a combination OF all
have thought before. or else the one feast
tho rest. Having once got started on what
think Is the right track keep up the pace
until the goal Is reached. The only thing,
therefore, I can say to the young inventor
ID to 60 and do likewise. There Is one
piece OF advice | can give. however. When
. man starto In to invent let him do so with
his mind free from all knowledge of what
has been done already In the particular field
he Is investigating. For instance. IL l am
about to work out something l never read
up on 1t nor do I inquire what has been
done on 1t by other inventors. knowledge
OF this kind Is almost certain to prove a
snag In the path Of the inventor. He gets
into the rut made by his predecessors and
stops off where they have stopped. On the
other hand IL he goes In a direction of his
own there are no ruts ahead OF him; moth
ing, In fact, to obstruct his progress.
have several times made inventions In this
manner; then when l have completed them
! have read up on the subject l found my
own ideas were entirely original, but at the
sams time the ideas OF the other fellows
were so good up to certain point that
should have been tempted to have followed
In their footsteps II had done any previous
geading up.
MEN OF SANGUINE. SANDY KIND"
"Of course the question OF natural aptitude
enters into the matter. and without 1t 40
man can become star; nevertheless, 1t is
an auxiliary attainment; dogged persever-
ance Is really the quality most to be desired.
Dogged perseverance is the keystone OF sue
ces,. In the arts. such as painting, music,
poetry and SO forth, very special tempera-
meat may be required. but In the workshop
OF science men of the sanguine, sandy kidd
come out ahead. The man who keeps at
one thing and never minds the clock Is al
ways sure to do something. He may miss
many social engagements. OF course. but hhl
success Is assured"
what line OF Invention Is most proita-
bleg
"Well," said Mr.. Edison, that depends
ON what Is meant by the term profitable.
II an invention u Of great public utility 1t
b seldom personally profitable to an inven-
cor. II, on the other hand. 1t Is money
maker for the hventor, then the benefit to
ehe general public Is apt to be limited. This
% the fault et our modern patent once