REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT, I909. 39 



ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS. 



It should be understood by the Board of Trustees that with the end of this 



calendar year the accumulated income of the Institution is exhausted and 



that further development is restricted to current income. 



Limitations on 'j^j^jg Income will sufBce with careful management to main- 

 Growth of Institution. . ... - . - , . i_ •. 

 tarn the efficiency of existmg fruitful enterprises, but it 



will leave no room for expansion in the near future under present and pros- 

 pectiv economic conditions. The Institution is well prepard to meet these 

 conditions. It has acquird all of the essentials in the way of buildings, 

 equipment, and preliminary experience to make its principal divisions of work 

 highly effectiv. But it must be prepard, if necessary, to restrict the quantity 

 of research undertaken in order to maintain the highest standards in quality. 

 In view of these limitations it seems inopportune to do more than to recall 

 attention to several new projects referd to in preceding reports and to state 

 that several additional projects have been under consideration during the 

 past year. Not the least interesting among the latter are several of a pecu- 

 liarly international scope to which attention has been calld by foreign corre- 

 spondents. 



Experience in the Institution has demonstrated that our departmental 

 system affords one of the most productiv methods of conducting research. 

 It appears quite safe, in fact, to commend this as the 

 Eff^tiv Modes of method most worthy of attention in contemplating expan- 

 sion into any large field of research requiring sustaind 

 cooperativ effort. Similarly, experience has demonstrated that there are 

 many investigations which may be carried to fruitful conclusions by individ- 

 uals who require no special outlay for equipment and no large cooperating 

 staff. Such individuals, properly chosen, are certain to produce good work 

 in nearly every case. 



These two safe methods of expansion are available therefore whenever 

 opportunity for their application occurs. It seems especially desirable for 

 the Institution to enlarge its number of research associates, drawn from the 

 ranks of the leading contributors to current scientific progress. On the one 

 hand, our departments in many cases need the counsel of these experts and 

 some such might be advantageously permanently attacht to these depart- 

 ments. On the other hand, more of these eminent experts might be advan- 

 tageously subsidizd in the pursuit of their independent researches. 



