FIFTY-FIRST CONGRESS, 1889-1891. 1535 
I have no objection, of course, to the resolution going over, and the 
report may be printed so that the subject may be examined. 
Mr. Prume. I simply want to say that we have had before us 
various projects apparently of this same kind and I do not recall the 
provisions of the appropriation bill referred to. I am not prepared 
to say that I did not know of it at the time and have not known since 
what that provision was; but, however that may be, I think it is wise 
to go slowly in view of the number of organizations which are appeal- 
ing to us now to give them a status by which they may secure the 
printing at the public expense of the results of their researches and 
of their lucubrations, and therefore I hope the resolution will go over. 
Mr. J. R. Hawtey. I concur with the general purport of the remarks 
of the Senator from Kansas. I think the Senate would act wisely by 
going slowly in such matters. It is quite fascinating, I believe, to 
organizations to get themselves recognized by the National Govern- 
ment and to be authorized to make an annual report, which of course 
is then printed at the expense of the Government, but I do not think 
we have yet done anything foolish in that regard. 
There is a National Academy of Science which, without charge to 
anybody, takes any subject committed to it by any of the Departments 
of the Government and gives it a thoroughly scientific investigation 
in any branch of science, and has submitted a number of very valu- 
able reports. Take, for instance, the examination of sugar which was 
committed to them and which they examined and made a very valu- 
able report upon. There is one other that does not occur to me at this 
moment. 
Then came the American Historical Society, formed by a body of 
capable and honorable gentlemen, and Mr. Bancroft was the first presi- 
dent of it. It proposed to devote itself expressly to American history, 
and it has already in its first year brought forth some good fruit, and 
it is thought that in the course of a series of years the papers prepared 
upon the minor chapters, if you choose, of American history, by some 
of the ablest historians in the country, will be put into an exceedingly 
valuable permanent form. Such reports as these and such reports as 
the Smithsonian Institution submits are worthy of being kept perma- 
nently in good shape. I think this society, on the whole, bids fair to 
be very useful, and it certainly is composed of men who deserve to be 
recognized in this way. 
Mr. Piume. This consideration would naturally occur, that many 
of those facts which are gathered are the subjects of controversy. Of 
course there is no more illustrious name among American historians 
than that of Mr. Bancroft, and yet it might be that a good many peo- 
ple would take issue with him, and it is extremely important that the 
Government should not enter into that domain; and whatever else it 
may do it should not act in such a way as to give currency to any one 
set of facts as against some other set of facts or any particular idea in 
