REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 17 



tion to this, alaiffc correspoiuleiiceis caiTie<l on with i)e()ple in search of 

 infoiinatiou on scientific topics. Probably (),()()() letters a year go out 

 to people who write seeking to know the name of some object or other 

 scientitic fact. IiKpiiries of this kind are always answered promptly and 

 fully; and frequently, to intelligent inquirers, books are sent which will 

 enable them to find out such names for themselves in future. This 

 work has not onlj^ an educational value, but often a great economic 

 inq)ortance as well; as, for instance, when some common mineral 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 almost 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 stated that 

 nothing could be so desirable for the Institution as that Congress 

 should examine for itself whether, on the whole, in the execution of 

 the trust of Smithson, more has been given to the Government than 

 has been received; for if, in attempting to increase and diffuse knowl- 

 edge among mankind, the machinery of the Institution's action has 

 been such that it has incidentally paid over to the Government the 

 equivalent of much more than the whole original fund, these facts 

 should surely be known to those who have to ask themselves in what 

 spirit as well as for what purpose the Institution expends money placed 

 in its charge. 



Mr. Langley has pointed out that '' although by the judicious 

 administration of the Smithson fund nearly $1,500,000 — the fruits of 

 its investment — have been applied during the past forty years to the 

 advancement of science and education in America (in addition to the 

 principal, $911,000, larger now than ever before), it should be remem- 

 bered that the unrestricted income of the Institution is less than 

 $50,000 a year, a sum much smaller in its power to effect results than 

 ever in previous years." 



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 Mr. Langley has recently shown, the Institu- 

 tion has left in perj)etual charge of the nation, in the Museum alone, 

 property acquired out of its private fund (and to which it has appar- 

 ently the same title) which is i)r()bably now more than ecpial in value to 

 the whole amount of the Smithsonian bequest. 



Every museum has its special characteristics growing out of its form 

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

 H. Mis. 184, pt. 2 2 



