476 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXVII, No. 952 



of the department, including the condemnable 

 inflation of crop " statistics," and the wide 

 promulgation of erroneous theories, such as 

 have emanated from the Bureau of Soils, advo- 

 cating doctrines vchich can lead only to land 

 ruin, are not all to be set down as the sins of 

 one man. There have been in the service of 

 the United States Department of Agriculture, 

 some of the most eminent scientists the world 

 affords, and other conscientious public ser- 

 vants, including, unquestionably, many of the 

 field agents; and so have there been others 

 whose public " service " is far worse than 

 worthless. Cyril G. Hopkins 



University op Illinois 



TEE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY 

 AND PBESIDENT WILSON 



On Wednesday of last week a committee of 

 the American Philosophical Society consist- 

 ing of President W. W. Keen, Hon. Charle- 

 magne Tower, Hon. Elihu Root, Secretary 

 Charles D. Walcott, of the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution, President Robert S. Woodward, of the 

 Carnegie Institution, and Director Otto H. 

 Littmann, of the U. S. Coast and Geodetic 

 Survey, were received by President Wilson, 

 by special appointment in the east room of the 

 White House, and presented to him, on behalf 

 of the society, the following congratulatory 

 address on his accession to the presidency. 

 To His Excellency Woodrow Wilson, President 



OF THE United States: 



Sir: The American Philosophical Society ex- 

 tends its cordial congratulations to you, as one of 

 its fello-w-members, upon your accession to the 

 presidency of the United States. You carry into 

 public life the ideals of the scholar; and you will 

 show in the New World, as has been proved so 

 often in the Old, that philosophical training, in 

 the best and broadest sense of the term, is a help 

 to the practical statesman. Tour studies in history 

 and in political science will illuminate your task 

 of giving to the nation a wise and strong govern- 

 ment. 



It was Montesquieu, the good genius of the 

 makers of our national constitution, who said that 

 for a safe voyage for the ship of state the spirit 

 of the laws should serve as compass and history 

 should be the chart. This society confidently be- 

 lieves that you have at your command this compass 



and this chart; that with your firm hand at the 

 helm the ship of state will safely ride the seas ; and 

 that you, like those of your distinguished predeces- 

 sors in the presidency who were its members, will 

 help to make the future history of the nation 

 worthy of its past. 



Seven times since the founding of the Kepub- 

 lic the American Philosophical Society has had 

 cause for congratulation in the selection of one of 

 its members as President of the United States. 

 Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, the 

 second Adams, Buchanan and Grant were honored 

 names upon its roll before the popular vote in- 

 scribed them in the list of American Presidents. 

 To you, the eighth in turn of its members to enter 

 upon this high oifice, this Society extends its 

 warmest greeting. 



Given under the seal and in the name of The 

 American Philosophical Society held at Philadel- 

 phia for Promoting Useful Knowledge this seventh 

 day of March, 1913. 



W. W. Keen, 



President 

 I. Minis Hays, 

 Arthur W. Goodspeed, 

 Amos P. Brown, 

 Harry F. Keller, 



Secretaries 



The president thanked the committee for 

 the presentation of the address and later he 

 made a more formal acknowledgment as fol- 

 lows: 



The White House, Washington, 

 March 19, 1913. 



My Dear Dr. Keen: May I not express to you, 

 and through you to the members of the Ameri- 

 can Philosophical Society, my deep and sincere ap- 

 preciation of the cordial message brought me from 

 the society by you and your associates this after- 

 noon? 



Nothing has gratified me more. I do not know 

 of any association whose confidence I would rather 

 enjoy. It has been a matter of peculiar pride to 

 me to be associated with the American Philosophi- 

 cal Society, and that that distinguished body should 

 feel honored by my elevation to the Presidency is 

 a source of genuine satisfaction to me. I can only 

 say in reply to their gracious address that I shall 

 hope and strive at all times to deserve their respect 

 and confidence. 



Cordially and sincerely yours, 



Dk. William Keen, Woodrow Wilson. 



Philadelphia, Pa. 



