THE SEMI-CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY 97 



improved steamship, with the telegraph, with the greater diffu- 

 sion of news and information, all of which have been made pos- 

 sible by the developments of modern science. We have witnessed 

 a most remarkable phenomenon here within a few years, the 

 renovation in China, which, for thousands of years had dwelt in 

 inertia, and had not merely conservatism, but the absolute lack of 

 progress. What is the reason? The development of the railway 

 and means of communication in that old country; the beginning 

 of manufacturing, the coming of scientific knowledge, the break- 

 ing away from old traditions, and the awakening, so that they are 

 keeping pace with modern scientific progress. 



In the past ten or twelve years of this century results have 

 been achieved for the betterment of conditions of the people of 

 the United States comparable with the whole century before, 

 although that was probably called the greatest of the centuries. 

 What is the main reason? The wonderful awakening in science; 

 in knowledge, new inventions, new facilities, better methods, all 

 of which have been made possible by the work of men such as 

 those who are here now before us. 



I am asked to say something about the relation of this society 

 of science to the government. If there is any one thing that is 

 needed in all our governments, national, state and municipal, 

 it is a higher standard of expert knowledge. We have been 

 getting along on the theory that almost any man is capable of 

 holding office; that almost any man will do for mayor — possibly 

 for governor; but we have come to understand that we must 

 make a study of government in just the same manner that you 

 study chemistry or any other branch of knowledge. One thing 

 which has stimulated this has been the wonderful success of many 

 men who have had only very limited preparation. The philos- 

 ophers tell us that every effect must have its cause; that a certain 

 amount of labor and of intelligence brings certain results. But 

 I am compelled to say to those before me that I have known so 

 many men who have been made or marred in finance or in 

 politics by pure, sheer luck, that I can not accept the generaliza- 

 tion. (Laughter.) 



