16 ILLINOIS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



The main feaures of such tentative terms are as follows : 



1. The local academy will be permitted to have two 

 classes of members, namely : first, those who are merely 

 members of the local organization, and who pay only the 

 local dues, which is a dollar a year in the case of the Illi- 

 nois Academy ; second, members, who are also members of 

 the American Association, who pay annual dues of five 

 dollars, and receive the weekly journal, Science. 



2. The local academy will collect all dues from mem- 

 bers of both classes, including initiation fees, then it will 

 send to the American Association four dollars for each 

 affiliated member, keeping all the rest for local use, except, 

 of course, the initiation fee to the American Association. 



3. The local organization will be given representation 

 on the council of the American Association in proportion 

 to the number of affiliated members it has. 



It seems to me that in accepting such a liberal plan of 

 affiliation, we would have everything to gain and nothing 

 to lose. By this plan, no member of the local organization 

 will be compelled to join the American Association, and 

 yet one may do so at a saving of a dollar a year of annual 

 dues over what is possible at present. On the other hand, 

 there are within the State many subscribers to Science 

 and members of the American Association who are not 

 members of the Illinois Academy. Any of these might be- 

 come members of the local Academy, with no additional 

 expense except the one dollar initiation fee. 



It is obvious that the American Association is seeking 

 no financial advantage or any other kind of advantage for 

 itself as an organization, in this plan. It is simply endeav- 

 oring to mobilize and organize the scientific forces of the 

 nation so that they may co-operate more effectively in 

 rendering their natural services to society. 



One thing that should make such an affiliation pecul- 

 iarly desirable for our organization just now, is the fact 

 that the next two meetings of the American Associa- 

 tion are to be in St. Louis and Chicago respectively. Dur- 

 ing these two years, we should be able to greatly increase 

 our membership if a suitable campaign is carried on. 



