260 ANNUAL KEPORT 



ioiis to assist it. Just about that time the Hatch bill became 

 effective and we received the appropriation from the general 

 government of $15,000. But as the central station had to be 

 equipped and furnished with its buildings, laboratories and 

 machinery, the money was insufficient for the purpose. Desiring 

 to aid the Owatonna station so far as possible the board apj)ro- 

 priated $700, although it was found that fully $10,000 would be 

 required to complete the work of equipment begun at the cen- 

 tral station. Of course the bulk of expenditures had now been 

 made; the fitting of the station had made very heavy drafts upon 

 the treasury of the university. 



Secretary Hillman stated that he had called upon Mr. Gideon 

 this past fall and had been informed that it was the design of 

 Mr. Gideon to make a distribution of the stock on hand and to 

 resign the position of superintendent. He therefore moved that 

 the Society recommend the repeal of the law providing for the 

 support of the Excelsior station. 



Col. Stevens said he was opposed to taking such action at 

 present. Mr. Gideon had done a great work for his country. 

 While it was to be regretted that Mr. Gideon had not come for- 

 ward and helped the Society he thought the state could well af- 

 ford to give him $1,000 a year during his natural life. They 

 could do that very much better than to appoint fifteen or twenty 

 extra clerks, or assistants, as had been done by the present leg- 

 islature. 



Mr. Cutler thought Mr. Gideon did not need this appropria- 

 tion. He had sold his farm for a large sum, and had no one but 

 himself to support, and this money might be used for a better 

 purpose, or where it would be of more benefit. If he really 

 needed it he would have no objection to it, but he is now in a 

 condition where he does not need the money. 



Mr. Dartt. Mr. President, it occurs to me that if there is a 

 feeling in the direction of this resolution that it would be just a 

 little nicer to offer it as a suggestion and let it go in that way 

 rather than as a recommendation of the Society. 



President Elliot. I have listened with a good deal of interest 

 to this discussion, having taken a prominent part in securing 

 the passage of this measure and being a j)retty good friend of 

 Mr. Gideon. I hope you won't do anything now that you will 

 regret in the future. While Mr. Gideon is, perhaps, not in full 

 accord with the Society, in his line he may be doing as much as 

 we are. I think we can well afford to allow the appropriation to 



