The Three Secretaries 197 



office for the publication of such scientific papers as were too 

 voluminous or abstract to be given to the public through 

 other channels. The library and museum were, therefore, 

 looked upon by him with little favor. On the contrary, I 

 thought the Smithsonian should be a bureau of investigation, 

 where scientific material should be accumulated and studied 

 by the help of a fine scientific library. So I opposed the 

 transfer of the library to the Capitol as the giving up of an 

 important part of the machinery of the Smithsonian. What- 

 ever Professor Baird's private views on this subject may have 

 been he was so loyal to his chief as never to encourage or 

 countenance any opposition to his wishes. I felt, as I feel 

 now, that the influence exerted by the Smithsonian on the 

 government and the people of Washington will be measured 

 by the space it occupies and the tangible evidence it furnishes 

 to the public of the work it is doing. So I rejoice that the 

 Smithsonian has preserved and greatly increased its collec- 

 tions, until its museum is now the finest in the country, and a 

 source of instruction and delight to the thousands on thou- 

 sands who visit the capital. Time has, I think, vindicated 

 my views with reference to the library, and it is recognized 

 that, as one of several collections of books, a scientific library 

 is an indispensable part of its machinery. 



" An effort was made by those who were envious of the 

 great success of Professor Baird in accumulating scientific 

 material to have the abundant collections brought to the 

 Smithsonian by governmental expeditions distributed to 

 other museums. Fortunately, Professor Baird's opposition to 

 this scheme prevented its success ; yet no one, except those 

 who were about him at the time, knows how much labor and 

 anxiety the retention of the museum cost him. But for him, 

 the splendid array of scientific material which is now the 

 glory of the Smithsonian would never have been gathered or 

 retained." 



Professor Allen writes : 



"My acquaintance with Professor Baird began in 1861. 

 At that time I was studying medicine in Philadelphia, and, 



