12 



work completed in other States, were sent from 

 Washington at our request, to all the members. 



Your committee spent as much time as was at their 

 command in personal interviews with members and 

 with prominent officials of the State, but it was im- 

 possible to reach a large majority in this way. 



The bill, as most members of the Academy are 

 alread\' aware, passed the Senate, but was still in the 

 hands of the House finance committee when the legisla- 

 ture adjourned. The difficulty most commonl\' ex- 

 pressed was that the asylums and public institutions 

 required a specially large appropriation at that session. 

 The committee found themselves forced into a dis- 

 cussion of the question whether it is wise for the State 

 to lavish its money upon that class of the population 

 who are unable to take care of themselves, to the ex- 

 clusion of a measure which benefits ever}^ square mile 

 of land in the State, and which furnishes knowledge 

 that will stimulate enterprise and research in numerous 

 different directions. 



It was perhaps too much to expect that a measure 

 calling for the expenditure of so considerable a sum of 

 money should be adopted upon the first presentation. 

 It is also evident that neither the officials nor the 

 intelligent people of the State are as yet sufficiently in- 

 formed concerning the value of such maps, to make the 

 demand for them urgent. But wherever the matter is 

 adequately presented, appreciation rapidly grows. 

 Your committee has labored assiduously, and is disap- 

 pointed in not being able to report success. 



In behalf of the committee, 



A. A. Wright, Chairman. 



Other members of the committee, 



W. G. Tight, 

 A. D. Selby. 



December 26, 1898. 



