Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-01-18

had been made for the trip n the
exact places to be visited had been
marked out One Of the places spe-
c~iically in view for investigation is
today the richest gold spot known in
the whole northern country.
The bill passed the senate and was
reported f~avorably from the house
committee. The speaker had agreed
to recognize a representative who was
to move for the bills passage. 1t was
the last day of the session and the
representative was on his feet waiting
for recognition. The speaker had
made too many promises and the rep
resentative who had the treasures OF
Alaska in bill form in the hollow Of his
hand went without recognition. ad-
journment came and the discovery Of
the treasures Of the Kiondike was
postponed for FIVE years.
The army officer who told this story
has won a fighting fame If he never
has discovered a gold mine, and with
his fighting fame he has a modesty
which made him ask that his name
should not be used, lest ~peradventure
people should feel called upon to
mourn with him the loss of a great op-
portunity, to say nothing of some pos
sible millions of money.
inventor Is Discouraged.
There comes to Washington oc-
~casionally a man who perfected
an invention, an engine OF war.
which Is now in use by nearly every
civilized. government on the face OF
the earth. including the government OF
the United States. This mar recently
talked reminiscently. He said some
things In the course of his conversa-
ton which may be interesting to In
ventors present and prospective.
1t must be remembered, of course.
that this inventor is a man who finally
made good, and who today talks from
the hilltop Of success. He said:
Let every mar know. if he has an
invention in which he believes and
in which he trusts that the govern
ment will find merit. that he must
prepare himself at the outset to be
treated in turn ike an imbecile, a lu-
matte and a criminal by the. depart
ment officials to whom he tries to pre-
sent his ideas.
Every inventor who enters a de-
partment of the United States gov
eminent with a view to interesting the
officials in something which may be,
and often proves to be of service to
the government, is set down as a mat
ter of course as an idiot. This Is at
the outset. There is in most OF the
departments, and certainly in the one
with which | have to do business, a
set of officials whose business it is to
get rid of inventors, and to get rid of
them without loss of politeness and
without loss of time.
THE regular plan is to pass the In
vehtor from one to another, each one
having an increased chilliness of man
ner, but yet wearing the semi-indul-
gent smile with which enc listens to
the Gprattle Of a child known to be
mentally deficient.
The last official gets rid Of the in
ventor, who, If he has not an indomit-
able perseverance and a mental poise
which will enable him, because of an
inner consciousness of right, to over.
look insult, goes away probably never
to return, and the chances are that be-
cause Of the sensitiveness Of some
men this government has lost to Its
use many inventions which would have
added to its power.
Next Considered as Lunatlc.
"The second stage of the inventors
progress, for l am speaking only Of
those who make progress, is that Of
the lunatic, for SO he becomes to be
viewed. The idiot is practically harm
less, and may be treated as a child
the lunatic is apt to be dangerous. ant
SO wien the inventor, conscious of the
worth Of his invention. %perseveres IL
his attempt to see the officials, he il
I looked upon as a nan with a glitter il
his eye, and the blue-coated official!
| with police authority are given warn
! ing that he is not to be admitted tx
| the presence Of The official great
ness.
r Occasionally influences which tn,
: inventor hates to bring to bear enables
r him to get an audience with the high
est official in the department. He ha'
0 reached the criminal stage by thi
o time, for he has taken to the chic
q that which courtesy and custom re
It quire should have been taken to tn
underling.
e THE three stages of suspicion ar
e gone through again by the persisten
n irventor-imbecile. lunatic and GRIN
inal-and occasionally his persistenc
wins out, for in passing through the dc
grees he may happen to hit upon som
D. official, also regarded as a lunatic b
# bis colleagues, who takes interest /
l. that whic other lunatics produce.
Such was my case, and | won GU
The officials today who treated m
with something worse than scorn, ar
y taking credit to themselves for disco'
r. ering the merit in that whicH | had t
offer.
d ION the continent of Europe thing
q are different. There the inventor
it not treated as il he we're fresh fror
4 an asylum for the feeble-mlnded, br
is turned over at once to the oficif
" whose duty it is to examine sue
i. things as he has to offer. and the exan
IS ~ination proceeds forthwith. The col
~tipental governments take interest 1
everything that is new, especially II
is pertains to warfare"
To Keep Kitchen Knives Sharp.
re Sharp knives should never
IN placed with other small utensils. {
CIV | - M . 49, NJ 40 E.A - 4 +. a