46 JOURNAL OF ECOXOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 14 



that the Department of Agriculture should not conduct research or 

 investigational work. It is necessary for the Department to engage in 

 certain kinds of research work in order that its policies and advice may 

 be based upon accurate knowledge and correct principles but when the 

 investigational work touches directly the agricultural interests or 

 practices of any state, the Department's effort should be through the 

 state institutions and state agencies. Such a course would greatly aid 

 these institutions, would bring added prestige to entomological investi- 

 gation and would in no wise react to the detriment of the federal bureau. 

 On this aspect of the question permit us to quote from no less an authority 

 than Professor L. H. Bailey: 



"... every movement that tends to weaken local responsibility 

 and initiative is a distinct menace to the people Whenever the people 

 are taught to look beyond their own institutions to federal institutions 

 alone, they lose opportunity and power to help themselves. The 

 people and the states are at fault in calling to Congress when they should 

 call first to their legislatures."^ 



One may properly ask: "What is more natural than for the people 

 to look to the federal government rather than to their own institutions 

 when the federal government itself encourages this attitude?" 



It Avill perhaps be said, in reply to these contentions, that man\- 

 entomological problems must be studied in different states and sections 

 in order that reliable conclusions may be drawn. This is true but the 

 regional data needed can be secured as readily and as cheaply through 

 the state institutions — and frequently will be more reliable — than if 

 secured by special investigators, often unfamiliar with local conditions, 

 sent out from Washington. The objection ma>' also be offered that the 

 federal Bureau must sometimes investigate or otherwise deal with insect 

 problems or outbreaks when the state in which these occur does not 

 provide the funds for doing it, particularly when the insect is one which 

 may presently invade other states. Such instances sometimes involve 

 insect pests of the most dangerous nature, as witness the recent appearance 

 of the Mexican bean beetle- in Alabama, and in such circumstances 

 federal help should come quickly and unfailingly. 



It would appear that the problem of coordination here presented could 

 be solved by either of three plans: (1) for the federal government to 

 place certain of its funds at the disposal of the state agencies subject, 

 of course, to the conduct of the project and the personnel of those en- 

 gaged in it meeting the approval of the federal authorities, (2) by the 

 federal government placing its own agents at the service of the state 

 authorities or (3) by federal agents working in close cooperation and 



'Presidential Address before the Association of Agricultural Colleges and Experi- 

 ment Stations, May 2S, 1907. -Epilachna cornipta Muls. 



