194 Proposed Amendment to Constitution. [ZOE 
their non-scientific friends, whether a majority of the members or not 
remains to be seen, are willing to admit to associate membership the 
large body of estimable persons, who are interested in scientific niat- 
ters and in all advanced education, but intend to retain in the hands 
of the rapidly increasing scientific element the management of the 
society founded for Science. 
One of the strongest reasons in favor of this restriction is the diffi- 
culty of making the aim of scientific labor intelligible to people in 
general. The great majority appear to think that the mission of sci- 
entific societies is to teach, while every worker in science knows that 
its object is to investigate, and to discover new truths, leaving to the 
vast body of educators the congenial task of making these new facts 
known through all the walks of life. The way in which these irre- 
concilable views affect the management of societies must be apparent 
to every one. The progress, the standing among other societies, 
the very life of the society itself depends upon the number, force and 
ability of its working members; yet in a mixed society they are con- 
tinually hampered and thwarted by the demand of the non-scientific 
members for instruction, amusement or even for mere superficial 
display. 
This aspect of the mixed societies has been well set forth editor- 
ially in the April number of the American Naturalist, than which 
there is no higher authority in America: 
““The age demands knowledge, and provision is being gradually made in this 
country for the producers of it. The time is not far distant, we suspect, when the 
confusion between the producers and the distributors of knowledge, which is so 
prevalent, will disappear. Millions are expended for the dissemination of knowl- 
edge through the medium of schools and libraries while small sums only can be’ 
obtained for the production of new truth. The increase in the number of producers 
in science is educating the public mind, and one great need, that of institutions of 
original research, will be supplied. * * * The increase in original investigators 
holds forth a promise of the organization on a true basis of academies of science in 
our States. Those in existence having commenced by electing everybody who can 
pay the necessary fees, have mostly lost their scientific character, and have sunk 
into inaction, Little can be done with them, since those into whose hands they 
have fallen are generally unwilling to adopt the necessary changes. But the times 
will soon be auspicious for the organization of new bodies, whose membership will = 
be an order of merit, and a recognition of work done.” ae ee 
There are in the United States several societies besides the Amer- 
ican Association for the Advancement of Science, which hold fast to ~ 
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