312 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



tendency to support museums, libraries, etc., and to undertake func- 

 tions requiring scientific experts, the great incorporated universities 

 developing special research, the applications of science in industries, 

 transportation, etc. — all these represent an extraordinary activity, 

 and, at the same time, a dispersion of tendencies and interests that 

 require here more than in any country some unifying and centralizing 

 organization. The functions of such a body are only limited by its 

 eificiency. Our government recognizes a division into executive, 

 legislative and judicial functions, but does not recognize the coordinate 

 importance of expert opinion. As the judicatory interprets the laws 

 made by the legislature, so the legislature requires impartial advice 

 and scientific knowledge as the basis of its enactments. 



The question now arises as to what body or bodies should perform 

 the functions thus outlined. In the first place, it is evident that we 

 need numerous and partly independent institutions. Each university, 

 museum, survey, observatory, botanical garden, laboratory and the like 

 is a unit, requiring its special organization. Each city should have 

 a local academy, or alliance of societies, which in its field should per- 

 form most of the functions that we have been considering. Similar 

 academies, or groups of societies, are needed for a State or region. 

 iSTational societies are required for each science. But what should be 

 the national organization that will bring all the local and special 

 societies together, and accomplish for the nation and for science as a 

 whole what these institutions and societies do for a locality or a single 

 science? We have at present the National Academy of Sciences and 

 the American Association for the Advancement of Science, both of 

 which have to a certain extent filled these requirements, but only in a 

 partial and imperfect way. The Academy is legally the adviser of the 

 government, the Association has brought into its organization a 

 majority of the scientific men and many of the scientific societies of the 

 country, but it seems probable that neither a small self -perpetuating 

 body of eminent men nor a plebiscite of all scientific men will perform 

 the duties required. Eepresentative government, in spite of its partial 

 failures, is the kind of government under which we should live and 

 must live. We find this most nearly embodied in the council of the 

 American Association. This council might be made the representative 

 body for science in America. 



If it be asked what the American Association and its council should 

 do to assume the position assigned to them, the reply may fortunately 

 be made: let them continue the work that they have already begun. 

 The whole matter is one of attitude and spirit, rather than of con- 

 stitution and by-laws. Let all scientific men be fellows of the Asso- 

 ciation, make the members representative of the intelligence of the 

 country, unite all scientific societies and institutions in the organiza- 



