26 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



more solid ocean, and although we may never be able to con- 

 trol one or the other, we may better and better adapt ourselves 

 to their vagaries as time goes by. 



In view, then, of the present need of our own people, and in 

 view of the present status of the world of thought, it does 

 seem to me that the necessity of our organization takes on new 

 importance. We should, as never before, encourage each 

 other to good work, in every way strive to foster the spread of 

 science and its methods among the people of this good state. 

 We are as the scientiiic public servants at Washington, a 

 "university unorganized,'' and while we may guard as zeal- 

 ously as may be needed our fellowship, the council of the 

 Academy, let us yet welcome to membership everybody in this 

 whole state who has within him the impulse of a scientiiic 

 spirit. This fair city of Des Moines surely numbers in its 

 population scores of men in all walks of life who have our 

 work at heart and who, if organized, might second, as nothing 

 else could do, the efforts of this academy. It is one of the 

 beauties of scientific investigation that the problems of science 

 are about us everywhere. Those about the city of Des Moines 

 are quite as interesting, fascinating, no doubt, as any others 

 within an equal area on the face of the earth. It remains only 

 that men open their eyes and see. A local academy of science 

 in this, the capital city, if I may be permitted to suggest, 

 would be a wonderful adjunct to this association and stimulate 

 in a peculiar way an interest in science everywhere. Daven- 

 port has for many years maintained such an institution, famous 

 throughout the world. The geologists of Iowa cannot alone 

 maintain our w^ork, nor can the botanists, nor the chemists, the 

 mathematicians or astronomers, but if all unite, we can develop 

 programs of universal interest, and thus more surely attain 

 that prestige as an institution which would seem to be in keep- 

 ing with the reputation of our state. 



And let us not for a moment fear that our labor is in vain. 

 The future of Iowa is hardly dreamed to-day by the most 

 enthusiastic of its optimistic citizens. I look forward to the 

 time, and that in no distant future, when the center of wealth 

 and power in this great republic shall be within 150 miles of 

 where we are this evening gathered. It is coming sure as the 

 swift revolving years. The Mississippi valley is certain to be 

 the empire of the world. When that day comes the faithful 

 effort of this Academy will find its own reward. It will then 



