Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-10-13
MOST INVENTORS ARE
IDEALISTS, DREAMERG
By NGTH'L c. FOWLER, JR.
Observation-Disclosures

times he is a genius and nothing else
and seems to have but one distinctive
characteristic, that of originality
that is, the ability to create; and
often he does not possess even prac'
ticability, which is necessary to O
profitable career. All the education
all the training and all the inclina,
tlon in the world will not make an
inventor out OF one who does NOT
possess natural inventive ability. A
crude ability by itself 10 likely to &C
complish but little as compared with
what would be possible with this
natural capacity developed by an mp,
propriate training. The inventor is
a close observer, and his faculties al
ways are alert.
The financial value of an invention
depends upon it's usefulness and up.
on whether or not IL is new or differ.
ent from any other and upon what
1t Is worth in : purely commercial
way. VIII 1t make money or save
time and money? If 1t will do mel.
ther, from paying point of view, II
does not make any difference how
good it is or how marvellous must
have been the genius who conceived
it. The great law Of commercialIsm,
law often working without reason,
must decide upon the value of the
invention; and its decision is final
beng subject to no appeal.
Fo" financial profit a combination
"a . - 80. ~
is necessary. 1t is not an unusual
thing for the inventor to be paid a
small sum and then to be frozen out
altogether, partly because it is easy
to cheat the inventor, who may be
practically defenseless.
Most inventors are cranks and
many of them are obstreperous. Be-
cause they have invented something,
they seem possessed with the idea
that the development of their inven.
ton is impossible without their con-
slant aid and attention.
Professor Elihu Thomson, inventor
and electrician, of Swampscott, Mass,
says: II consider that invention may
in most cases be regarded as creative
engineering. 1t unquestionably is
true that the same factors which lead
to success in other lines of effort will
help young man having inventive
ability. These are clear head, good
common sense, scientific knowledge,
method and persistency in overcom-
ing obstacles. Good morals, honesty,
and integrity are, of course, assumed
to be qualities not lacking in the
aspirant The absence of these quail
tiles above enumerated, or the pos
session of their decided opposites, is
conducive to failure in this field, as
in other walks of life. l desire not
to be understood as assuming that
success or failure are to be taken
In any limited sense. Too often they
are written in dollars and cents. But
does not that man succeed in the
highest sense who has been able to
enjoy his work, to use his talents,
and thereby contribute to the prog
ress of the world? A degree of finan-
Cial success is desirable, but 1t is a
deplorable condition when it is the
only ideal.
II know little about the profess
sion of inventing.' l cannot recall
among my friends a sufficient number
of such men, / know many men who
have made invention a part of their
work in various departments of engi-
neering Broadly considered, hard
ly think that any rules can be laid
down as to how, whom or what to tn
vent. Invention covers such wide
range. When one invents, he pic
lures to himself, as a sort of mental
Image, new thing or a new COM
bination Of old things, serving, per-
haps, a useful purpose. This con-
ception, If it. he clear and definite
may be worked out into practical
forms by it's originator or impaired
by him to others whose duty 1t Is to
complete the work There is nothing
mysterious about the whole matter.
The inventor Is one who recognizes
defects in existing means, who looks
ahead, who doubts that present con-
ditions are ultimate or best. Author
tiles are doubted until their conclu-
sions have been tested by experience,
With the inventive mind, obstacles to
progress, instead Of controlling the
situation, often only stimulate to
greater effort to pass them.
at is with inventor as with artists
there are all grades of ability. The
obtaining Of a patent is popularity
supposed to be indicative of inventive
talent. This is a mistake. Neither
does the possession of a patent for
an invention otherwise good neces.
sarily make value. The invention
may infringe other existing claims, 1t
may be old or antiquated, it may be
ahead of its time, the patent may not
claim the real essentials of the in.
vention and finally the courts may
not agree with those versed in the
arts as to there being any invention
at all or its having merit. Even with
the best inventions accidents happen
and opinions differ The inventor,
therefore, needs to cultivate a judi.
cial temper of mind enabling him to
look at all sides of subject. Some.
times his enthusiasm, excusable as II
may be, dims his vision in certain dk
rections."
John M. Wakeman, president and
general manager OF the Electrical
World and Engineer of New York
says: 1.-THE professional inventor
that is to say, the man who makes
his living out of his inventions with.
out any regular line of work OF
steady employment, has to be excep.
tional. He has to take up field in
which there are gaps, and fill in those
gaps with some useful invention
The probabilities are that there are
scores of men in that same field.
thoroughly familiar with it, who have
been working upon just those same
gaps for years, and he has to be o
clever man, indeed, who can step in,
to such a field and fill the gaps. He