ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. XLV 
of these works the man of science must be brought into the public 
service. He must be held responsible, just as other officials are, in 
his account of public money. Such a condition would subject him 
to some limitations that might be irksome at first, since it is pleas- 
ant for many to have at their disposal large sums of money which 
they may use at their pleasure, and almost every one fancies that 
he could do a great deal of good in this way. But such a method 
of handling public money is dangerous, and is apt to lead into 
trouble. 
Supposing that our public scientific works are to be carried on 
by men of science, what part the National Academy of Sciences 
shall act I cannot say, and it is not my province to urge on the 
Government the services of this academy, but here is a body of 
scientific men who have pledged themselves to the public service 
and they should be made to do their duty. And is there not ample 
room for intelligent criticism and suggestion in all the methods 
through which the public money is expended? Take the case of 
public schools, which is a kind of communism jusfified on the 
ground of utility to the State. What shall be the course of educa- 
tion in these schools? There is an unfortunate class of our fellow 
creatures that must be cared for at the public expense, but shall 
benevolent institutions encourage the production of such beings? 
Have we.not read of the English poorhouse where were found the 
grandfather, the father, and the son, all hearty men,—paupers breed- 
ing paupers? Do not some of our charitable institutions give 
plausibility to the saying that the mistakes of the good do more 
harm than the vices of the wicked? In fact, turn to any of the 
modes of public expenditure and examples will be found where 
sober, scientific judgrhent is necessary for the wise conduct of busi- 
ness. 
I come now to consider our own home society, the Philosophical 
Society of Washington. And, speaking cautiously and soberly, is 
it not to-day the best local scientific society in the country? This 
is owing partly and perhaps chiefly to our position at the Capital of 
a great people. Men from all sections come back to us as winter 
approaches, and many of them have interesting information to give. 
No other city of our country offers such advantages for fresh and 
early information of the investigations that are going on in the 
various departments of science. Our libraries in astronomy, math- 
ematics, ue medical science are among the best. As a general 
