July 12, 1912] 



SCIENCE 



41 



crop from the soil, to avoid loss from de- 

 structive agencies, or to double the capac- 

 ity of human labor if the gain is all ab- 

 sorbed by an aggressive few and the scien- 

 tist and the real producer are left with no 

 betterment of condition. 



Such absorption does too often occur 

 and it is not much to be wondered at that 

 the pessimistically inclined should ques- 

 tion what profit there is in our boasted 

 scientific progress if the advantages of it 

 all are to be seized upon and appropri- 

 ated by an inner circle who can. One of 

 the most important problems of the age is 

 to discover how the gains of scientific dis- 

 covery may be equitably shared by all de- 

 serving members of society. 



But such an occasion impels us to look 

 forward as well as backward. What will 

 the next quarter century of science reveal 

 to us of the unknown, what problems of age- 

 long study will have yielded their solution, 

 what theories of to-day will have vanished 

 and what will be the nature of those to 

 take their place. For this we can simply 

 say wait and see ; we may be content to be- 

 lieve that progress must continue and I 

 believe we may also say that in most lines 

 this progress will be on the foundations 

 already laid. For one, I have sufScient 

 faith in the science of to-day to believe 

 that we have reached a secure footing and 

 that we may push forward with confi- 

 dence that the structure we build will not 

 be doomed to complete destruction, even if 

 in some of its details the lines must be re- 

 cast. At least one strong ground for ef- 

 fort is confidence in the truth and perma- 

 nence of the structure on which we work 

 and despite occasional voicings of dissent 

 I would hold for faith in our own work. 



When the next quarter century shall 

 have passed and you celebrate another an- 

 niversary, as I have no doubt you will, for 

 the academy is now so fully established 



that its lapse is unthinkable, you will plan 

 a wider home-coming to include the many 

 members who will have scattered farther 

 still to the ends of the earth and I shall 

 hope to meet many or all of you now here 

 with many yet to come in that semicenten- 

 ary of our birth. Mr. President, you need 

 not for that occasion send me any invita- 

 tion. I shall come without one if alive, as 

 I hope to be, and if it is within the range 

 of human possibility to do so. But whether 

 here in flesh or not, I assure you I shall be 

 in thought and spirit, for I shall carry 

 with me from this day on not only my 

 early love and devotion for the academy, 

 but an abiding appreciation for the honor 

 you have shown me in asking me to be pres- 

 ent with you and for the cordial greetings 

 from'iyou all. For all this and for your 

 kind indulgence in listening to these re- 

 marks, I most sincerely thank you. 



Herbbet Osboen 

 Ohio State Univeesitt 



ECONOMY IN UNIVERSITY 

 ADMINISTBA TION 



I PROPOSE to consider briefly what I be- 

 lieve to be the most important factor in 

 university economy, namely, the selection 

 of the work which the university shall 

 undertake. 



Every important development depends 

 upon two conditions: first, an adequate 

 stock of energy; second, the selection of a 

 few out of many possible channels through 

 which that energy may produce its best re- 

 sults. A man will grow apples. His first 

 concern is to secure a maximum amount 

 of apple-producing energy in the form of 

 well-bred stock, good soil, appropriate fer- 

 tilizers, et cetera. His second concern is 

 to save that energy from being wasted 

 through weeds, through too many trees 

 per acre, too many limbs upon the trees, or 

 too many apples upon the limbs. His chief 



