REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 17 



eral has been mistaken for one of value, some useless plant has been 

 wrongly identified and supposed to be of service in medicine, or some 

 harmless animal feared as noxious. 



The publications of the Institution and its dependencies reach every 

 State and al nost every county in the United States. A careful study 

 of the subject, recently made by the president of one of the scientific 

 societies in Washington, seems to indicate that there are several States 

 which are reached by no scientific publications whatever except those 

 distributed gratuitously by the Government. 



Speaking of the Smithsonian Institution proper, and not of the 

 Museum or any other trust which it administers, it may be positively 

 stated that in the execution of the trust of Smithson more has been 

 given to the Government than has been received. The machinery of the 

 Institution's action has been such that it has incidentally, in connec- 

 tion with its legitimate woik for the increase and diffusion of knowl- 

 edge, paid over to the Government the eciuivalent of much more than 

 the whole original fund. 



Can the United States fail to recognize its obligation to supplement 

 liberally this private contribution for public good, especially if it be 

 borne in mind that, as Secretary Langley has shown, the Institution 

 has left in perpetual charge of the nation, in the Museum alone, prop- 

 erty acquired out of its private fund which is now more than equal in 

 value to tlie whole amount of the Smithson bequest ? 



Every museum has its special characteristics growing out of its form 

 of organization, its location, scope, and financial and other resources. 

 The character of the National Museum is fundamentally affected by its 

 connection with the Smithsonian Institution, its dependence upon Con 

 gress for appropriations annually, and the necessity, under existing 

 laws, of its caring for all collections belonging to the Government. 



Of the connection of the Museum with the Smithsonian Institution, 

 it should be said that it is in the highest degree advantageous. It 

 should be borne in mind that it is essentially a Smithsonian museum, 

 since, especially in its earlier history, the Institution expended large 

 sums of money in aiding explorations, with the distinct purpose of 

 increasing the collections in certain directions, while of late years 

 it has deposited all the valuable gifts and bequests of specimens it 

 has received. It lias had in addition, for nearly half a century, the 

 use of the larger portion of the Smithsonian building, and, what is of 

 paramount importance, the guidance and infiuence of the officers 

 of the Institution, and the very valuable nssistance of its numerous 

 correspondents. 



C. — The Work of the Museum in Public Education. 



The work of the Museum, if it only i)erf(>rmed the functions of an 

 institution for scientific investigation, w^ould be of sufficient value to 

 justify its maintenance and extension. The Museum, however, not 

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