PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS. XXVII 



the ediioational institutions of the country, and the seientitic and economic world 

 gets the fruits of that work. It is also true, that collections are destroyed in the 

 regular work of instruction, and that most of the collections in the National Museum 

 and scientific bureaus are consequently availa))le only for the individual and advanced 

 investigator, toward whom the most liberal policy should be, as I feel sure, it always 

 has been, adopted. 



These are some of the views which have occurred to me, and some of the many 

 difhculties to be reckoned with, in any movement in the direction proposed. I neeti 

 not say that I am fully in accord with what I feel sure, is the general wish of the 

 Regents — to meet the request of the colleges, in the most sympathetic and friendly 

 spirit, and to extend to them the fullest and freest access to every source and facility 

 of information, under the control or influence of the Institution, or that can be made 

 compatible with its administration. Yet it seems to me that any Ijeginning of a new 

 and wider policy, nuist keep carefully in view the continued success and preemi- 

 nence of the Institution itself in its chosen field, and the further fact that the scien- 

 tific bureaus of the Government have been established and are maintained more for 

 practical and economic purposes than for strictly scientific purposes, and only inci- 

 dentally or occasionally for the work of instruction, save as involved in their regular 

 work. 



Very truly, yours, Wm. L. Wilson. 



Mr. S. P. Lanoley, 



Secretary of tJie Smithsonian Institution. 



A very general discussion arose, participated in by Senators Cullom 

 and Piatt, and Messrs. Henderson, Hitt, Bell, and others. 



Senator Cullom stated that this might end in the Institution's 

 resources being scattered and in its becoming simply a place of learn- 

 ing, school, or college, or university. He did not think that was the 

 purpose of the founder, but that the more separately it maintained 

 itself, the freer would be the position of the Institution in the end, and 

 that to put the matter on record he would move 



That the report be accepted and printed and that the committee be discharged. 



Mr, Piatt then moved 



That the report be accepted, but that the committee be continued. 



Mr. Bell observed that the matter was too important to be passed 

 over briefly, that a very great many of its details might perhaps be 

 impracticable, but that some features were practicable, and that it 

 came, he thought, within the functions of the Institution to carry them 

 out, possibly by the help of Congress. 



Aftersome further remarks, Mr. Bellofl'ered the following resolution: 



In order to facilitate the utilization of the Government Departments for the pur- 

 poses of research — in jjursuance of the policy enunciat»..d by Congress in a joint reso- 

 lution approved April 12, 1892 — 



Resolved, That Congress be asked to provide for an Assistant Secretary of the 

 Smithsonian Institution in charge of research in the Government Departments, 

 whose duty it shall be to ascertain and make known what facilities for research exist 

 in the Government Departments, and arrange with the heads of Departments, and 

 with the officers in charge of Government collections, rules and regulations under 

 which suitably qualified persons may have access to the Government collections for 

 the purposes of research, wath due regard to the needs and requirements of the work 



