XXVI PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS. 



education, each State in the Union having such a college and experiment station. 

 The gentlemen who represent these organizations do not stand in the jiosition of 

 ordinary educators, but are accustomed to deal with Govermnent affairs, whether 

 with State legislatures or members of Congress, and it is in the course of natural 

 development that they should seek to crown their system by a great school of 

 research in Washington, connected more or less directly with the General Govern- 

 ment. I think their aspiration is a most legitimate one, and I believe that they rep- 

 resent a body of men who in some way or other are very likely to succeed in any 

 well-matured plans which they deliberately set out to accomplish. 



Since the permissive act of 1892, however, no bureau, within my knowledge, has 

 taken official advantage of the powers already granted, and I think that this indicates 

 the feeling which these bureaus may be expected to entertain toward an agent 

 invested by Congress with larger authority. The responsibility as well as the danger 

 and trouble of organizing this scarcely formulated plan, and accepting the often 

 ungracious task of engrafting it on bureaus of the Government not otherwise under 

 the control of the Institution — in short, of bearing the brunt of the struggle for it in 

 its early years — would fall on the Smithsonian Institution, whose present kindly 

 relations with these bureaus I should be sorry to see jeopardized. 



Let me say (if in conclusion I may venture to express a personal oiiinion) that it 

 is at least certain that the Institution can not draw back from a line of action to 

 which it is once morally committed, and that ordinary prudence indicates the need 

 of care in acquiring at its own risk a knowledge of the effect which this radical change 

 might make in its future. 



Very respectfully, yours, 



S. P. Langley. 



Hon. J. B. Henderson, 



Chairman of Special Committee of the Board of Regents, Washington,, D. C. 



Castle Creek, Hot Springs, 

 Yavapai County, Ariz. , January 20, 1900. 



Dear Mr. Langley: I regret that I shall not be able to attend the annual meeting 

 of the Regents. 



I suppose the most important subject that will come before the Regents will be 

 the application of the agricultural colleges for some form of connection with the 

 Institution, through which select graduates of those colleges may secure advanced 

 ins'truction in science and in scientific research, in the bureaus under its administra- 

 tion. I feel much interested in this question, and regret that I am under the dis- 

 ability of not knowing the definite proposition of the colleges and of not having 

 conferred with my associates on the committee appointed at the last meeting of the 

 Regents. Without these lights, it seems to me that many difficulties and much mis- 

 apprehension must be cleared away, before any safe and jjracticable plan can be 

 reached, looking toward the end proposed. That end proposes a diversion of the 

 Institution and of its scientific bureaus from the main work they were fomideil to 

 accomplish, and such diversion if suddenly and sharply made, will lessen their 

 present efficiency without accomplishing the new results. To receive any consider- 

 able number of students and give them proper guidance and fair opportmiites of 

 work, would certainly interfere, seriously, with the regular operation of the Institu- 

 tion and of its affiliated bureaus. 



It is impracticable to turn aside men engaged in research to the work of instruction, 

 as a rule, and only a limited number of such men have any aptitude or taste for such 

 work. Specialists accept positions under the Govermnent at less salaries than col- 

 leges would pay them because they do not have to teach, and because they can 

 pursue their researches in their own individual ways, and wherever the local advan- 

 tages are most favorable. By this method their work inures to the benefit of all 



