.22 MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



THE VALUE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO THE STATE. 



BY VICTOR C. VAUGHAN. 



Mombers of the Michijjnn Aoadeniy of Science: — Please permit me to 

 thank vou in the first place for the honor which you have done me in 

 malvin}x me President for this year of the Academy. Every man desires 

 the good will of his neighbors, and so far as the scientific man is con- 

 cerned, honors of this kind make np the larger part of the recompense 

 which he receives for his toil. It is especially pleasant to be honored at 

 home, by tho?e who best know one. T thoroughly appreciate the fact that 

 my predecessors in this position have made it an honorable one, and I 

 feel that you have placed me in good company, and I only hope that I 

 may bear my.>-elf worthily, 



I have decided to say a few words concerning the value of scientific 

 research to the state. In order that I may not use words loosely, and 

 that I may plainly indicate my meaning, I will attempt a short analysis 

 of this subject. In the fii'st place, it may very properly be asked, what 

 constitutes scientific research. I apprehend by these terms the acquisition 

 of new facts. The man who ad<'S to the sum total of knowledge possessed 

 by the race may be said to be an original investigator. The extent and the 

 value of his contribution may be small or great. This is a matter of sec- 

 ondary importance. The man who j)ushes out and ascertains and estab- 

 li.s-hes a fa<-t not hitherto demonstrated deserves a place among research 

 students. The history of mankind shows that our race since its earliest 

 beginnings has always been hampered by ignorance and its constant ac- 

 comj>animents prejudice and superstition. Civilization has progressed 

 by the slow and laborious process of extending farther and farther the 

 limits of human knowledge. In every century there have been a few 

 whose labors have in this wav contributed to the advancement of man 

 froni the savage to the civili/ed state. During some periods in the history 

 of the world the number of tho^-e engaged in acquiring knowledge and 

 advancing the bounds of civilization have been extremely small. These 

 are known as the dark ages of the world; when the bulk of mankind has 

 apparently receded rather than progressed. However, a close analysis 

 of the history of any age will show that even during the periods of the 

 most denye intellectual darkness there have always been some who have 

 given their lives to the advancement of knowledge. For the most part 

 these have been men of lowly position, whose work at the time attracted 

 but little or no attention. Occasionally they have been men of prom- 

 inence, and the ideas advanced by them have been rejected by their con- 

 temporaries, and in some instances they have met with personal persecu- 

 tions. There are the men who make up the list of martyrs which science 

 has furnished the world. There have been occasional periods of great 

 brilliancy Avhen scientific investigation has been popular and has met 

 with encouragement by those occupying high positions. Fortunately for 

 us, we live in one of these brilliant periods, when scientific investigation 

 is poj)ular, when its benefits are felt and appreciated by many. 



I have already said that the value and extent of additional knowledge 



