418 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLV. No. 1166 



California alone (158,360 sq. ms.), and 

 having a population of forty-five millions 

 as compared with California's one and a 

 half millions at about the same period. But 

 when we consider that we are expected to 

 hatch out the eggs of science over the area 

 extending from the Rocky Mountains to 

 the Philippine Islands, and from the polar 

 regions in northern Alaska to the torrid 

 zone, we must realize that we have entered 

 upon no trifling undertaking. 



These facts are mentioned in order that 

 we may not have false ideas of the rela- 

 tions of our population to the area of our 

 operations — ^a factor in the problem that 

 can not be overlooked. In a denser popu- 

 lation where interest in any one subject 

 has a large following it is comparatively 

 easy to keep that interest alive and active. 

 "With our smaller population scattered over 

 a vast area, and that population but in- 

 differently provided with educational facil- 

 ities, we must expect to meet obstacles that 

 are inseparable from a country as new as 

 this of ours, and to find it necessary to 

 make extraordinary efforts if we would 

 look forward to extraordinary results. 



Many of the people about us here on the 

 Pacific coast are quite as well prepared to 

 do scientific work as any in the world, but 

 we can not shut our eyes to the fact that 

 the great bulk of our population are en- 

 gaged in the work of pioneers whether they 

 live in cities, villages, on farms, in the 

 forests, or in the mines. Our educational 

 institutions are manned by as able scholars 

 as can be found anywhere, but the number 

 of such scholars is small, while the library 

 and laboratory equipments at their service 

 are more or less defective. "We must huddle 

 together, as it were, to keep warm and to 

 keep up our courage. 



But even if we are still living in the pio- 

 neer days of science on this coast, we have 

 the rewards of pioneers for whatever- we 



may do : we live in the open, we have a cer- 

 tain independence that is worth much to 

 the student of science in the way of en- 

 couragement of originality, while the fact 

 that we are thrown on our own resources in 

 many respects has decided advantages for 

 young workers, and even for the older ones. 



Our Duty to the Public. — "We may well 

 ask ourselves what duties devolve upon us 

 as live and active members of this lately 

 formed organization of scientific men with 

 its center of activities right here about the 

 Bay of San Francisco. My experience with 

 the work of the American Association and 

 with the British Association cover a period 

 of thirty-five years, so that in making a 

 few suggestions in regard to what seems to 

 be the legitimate scope of our future opera- 

 tions, I shall not be drawing entirely upon 

 my imagination. 



The benefits to be derived from such an 

 organization are, or should be, vastly more 

 than what is to be expected from the simple 

 conferring together of those who are inter- 

 ested in similar kinds of scientific work. 



"What of our relations to the public ? In 

 my opinion we have no more serious duties 

 than to have and to cultivate a broad and 

 intelligent interest in science as it is related 

 to society at large. If we do not have such 

 an interest we fail in one of our most obvi- 

 ous opportunities as men of science and as 

 public-spirited citizens. 



Scientific questions often arise in the 

 discharge of the duties of our public execu- 

 tive officers. Our presidents, governors, 

 judges, mayors and others in public office 

 need the services of men of science, while 

 legislators who have to legislate upon mat- 

 ters that involve scientific problems are 

 equally in need of the advice of competent 

 and unbiased men. It is clearly our duty 

 to place our knowledge, our training, and 

 our best judgment at the service of such 

 men, and thus at the service of the public. 



