Judsonia weekly advance., 1916-02-09

THE INVENTOR.

Statistics are misleading, but may say in passing that millions of patents have been issued, and that thousands of new inventions are patented yearly.
 The patent office will grant a patent for new discovery or invention. ire spective of it's commercial or other worth, the patent examiners passing their decisions upon the newness of the thing patented entirely regardless of it's intrinsic value.
 Inventions have been made by both sexes, and by people of all ages, in cluding the immature youth. Some of them have brought fortunes; but the majority of patents are worth prac- tically nothing, and many good dis covery or invention, through lack of development and exploitation, has not contributed anything to it's originator.
 A successful invention is dependent upon two conditions: First, the com mercial or other value of the thing it. self; secondly, proper development.
 Comparatively few inventors or scientific men have business ability, and the majority do not understand the marketing of the products of their ingenuity. They can invent, but they cannot exploit. They can discover. but they cannot distribute.
 While few great inventions have been the result of chance or accident, the majority of profitable patents are the result of education and training. combined with unceasing research. Mere brightness and ingenuity are not sufficient. I am inclined to think that the inventor comes by his talent nat urally and that he cannot produce 1t.
 If you are ingenious and original and would invent, first train yourself along the line of your proposed course. Secondly, do not invent in haphaz- ard manner. Study conditions by re- search, ascertain what is wanted. what can be used, what will be used if properly presented. Then attempt to meet this demand. When the idea is born, search the patent records, for forestalled you. By quiet and more or less secret inquiry attempt to dis cover whether or not what you have is marketable. Then consult a reputable patent lawyer or solicitor. If you do not know of one, ask the judge of the court, or some high-class attorney at law, to recommend one. Place your self unreservedly in his hands, for no reliable patent lawyer or solicitor has ever been known to betray his clients. After the patent is issued to you, get into communication with concerns manufacturing similar articles, or ap- bearing to do so; and either sell your patent outright or arrange for a roy alty. The chances are a thousand to one that you cannot properly handle it yourself.
 Bear in mind one thing: the result of ingenuity is worthless unless it can be used either commercially or for the benefit of humanity. Financial profit comes only to those who pro- duce something which will sell.
 You may be perfectly convinced of the value of your invention, but, ua-, less you, can make tlerublic realize it's wo ,n, you cannot hope to win fame or fortune from it. First, be sure that you have something which the world needs, then make every effort to show the world that you have some thing very much worth it's considera- tion, by placing it in the hands of men you can trust, men who have the capi- tai and ability to develop it. Don't ! try to do it yourself unless you have both money and business acumen.