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Points of view vary, however, and what may seem just and generous to the 

 scientist, may not have such a fair seeming to the legislator. But I believe that 

 an honest and intelligent study of the contributions of science to the material 

 wealth and intellectual development of the State will furnish a sufficient warrant 

 for the views advanced. 



The obvious way in which this official recognition could be given objective form 

 is in a permanent appropriation for the publication of the proceedings of this Acad- 

 emy — an appropriation sufficiently liberal to insure the proper presentation of 

 its work. The expense would be most trivial compared with the results such 

 action would secure. Results which would extend beyond the material and would 

 pcfwerfully upbuild and support the educational system of the State. It seems to 

 me that a failure to utilize such an agency is inexcusable. I believe that if there 

 were no material interests involved, the proper encouragement of scientific inves- 

 tigation, regarded from a purely intellectual standpoint and because of its reflex 

 influence upon the character of the instruction in the secondary schools, is within 

 the province of the State and may fairly be classed as one of its duties. The 

 history of such action and its results in other States seVves to emphasize this view. 

 I am not, however, so much interested in the duty of the State to science as in the 

 converse, and feel in nowise moved to instruct legislators in their duties. 



If, however, tliere is a full recognition of the mutual obligations existing 

 between science and the State, then the organization of this Academy opens wide 

 the gate of opportunity. 



Before suggesting these opportunities, allow me to say that 1 believe that, 

 perfect as is our organization, it can be made far more productive of results by a 

 proper co-ordination and distribution of work. There are certain investigations 

 which can not be made by individual workers which can easily be carried on in 

 the laboratories of the colleges. There are other investigations which can only 

 be carried to a successful conclusion by the co-operation of many persons or in 

 some cases of several colleges. It is one of the most difficult things in the world 

 to recognize the limitations our environment imposes upon us, but a failure to 

 recognize such limitations leads often to a sad waste of energy. To properly 

 utilize the energy of the Academy there should be a co-ordination of the scientific 

 work of the State of such a character as would at least prevent overlapping and 

 valueless repetition, as would give the individual worker his proper field, thus 

 freeing the larger laboratories for the broader problems demanding for their so- 

 lution large equipments and libraries. Apparently, the only thing that stands in 

 the way of such co-operation and such a practical distribution of work is the de- 

 sire most of us have to pose as past masters of science. Is it too much to say a 



