1008 
at the same time be seen that the educa- 
tional institutions of the country are train- 
ing men and women for the highest scientific 
and technical positions in the Government 
service. 
The Association of Agricultural Colleges 
and Experiment Stations several years ago 
realized the importance of giving its stu- 
dents the training which would enable 
them to meet the conditions prevailing in 
Washington. A committee of graduate 
study in Washington was appointed in 
July, 1897.* In the following April this 
committee met in Washington to study the 
conditions under which work might be 
undertaken. Ina report made in Novem- 
ber, 1898, the committee said in part: 
After long deliberation and, full discussion your 
committee are unanimously of the opinion that the 
time is ripe for expeditious action. 
The inquiries and investigations so far made lead 
the committee to the conclusion that it is entirely 
practicable to provide for the use of the Library of 
Congress and the collections of the Smithsonian In- 
stitution, the National Museum, and of the various 
scientific and other bureaus in the several depart- 
ments of the general government, by graduate stu- 
dents of the land grant and other colleges, for study 
and research, and that it is also practicable to organ- 
ize, © vrdinate, and direct such work so as to make 
it eminently effective. 
* Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed 
by the President to investigate, consider, and, if 
practicable, devise a plan whereby graduate students 
of the land grant and other colleges may have access 
to and the use of the Congressional Library and the 
collections in the Smithsonian Institution, the Na- 
tional Museum, and the scientific bureaus of the 
various departments at Washington of the United 
States Government for the purposes of study and re- 
search, said plan to include suggestions as to the 
manner in which such work may be organized, co- 
ordinated, and directed to the best advantage ; the 
composition and organization of such a staffas may 
be necessary to properly coordinate and direct such 
work, and also an outline of such legislation as may 
be necessary to effect the general purposes of this 
resolution. (Proc. Twelfth Annual Convention of 
the Assn. Amer. Agricultural Colleges and Exper- 
iment Stations, held at Wash., D. C., Nov. 15-17, 
1898, being Bull. 65, Dept. Agriculture, p. 58. ) 
SCIENCE... 
[N.S. Vou. XIII. No. 339. 
The committee has been greatly desirous that some 
existing agency be found to undertake such work of 
organization, coordination, and direction, and have 
uaturally turned to the Smithsonian Institution as. 
the one best fitted for the purpose. 
The committee is unable, at the present time, to 
present a complete outline of the legislation necessary 
to effect the general purposes of the resolution. It 
submits tentatively, however, that Congress might be 
asked to provide for the establishment of an admin- 
istrative office in Washington, preferably in the Smith- 
sonian Institution, in which graduate students of the 
institutions we represent, and others as well, might 
be enrolled and directed to the appropriate depart- 
ments (Bull. 65, Dept. Agriculture, pp. 61, 62). 
In a report by the subcommittee of the 
committee of the National Educational As- 
sociation on the establishment of a national 
university, we find that the active coop- 
eration of the Smithsonian Institution is 
contemplated in the conduct of the proposed 
school or bureau, but that the committee of 
the regents of the Smithsonian Institution 
feel that the powers of the institution, as at 
present organized, are insufficient to em- 
brace the work proposed.* 
At a meeting of the Smithsonian regents 
held on January 24, 1900, Dr. Alexander 
Graham Bell introduced a resolution to the 
effect that Congress be asked to provide for 
an assistant secretary of the Smithsonian 
Institution in charge of research in the Goy- 
eroment departments, ete.. The resolution 
was referred toa committee, which, on Jan- 
uary 23, 1901, reported a modified form of 
the original resolution. This modified 
form was adopted by the board of regents. 
It reads as follows : 
In order to facilitate the utilization of the Govern- 
ment departments for the purpose of research, in ex- 
tension of the policy enunciated by Congress in the 
Joint Resolution approved April 12, 1892: 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the board that itis 
desirable that Congress extend this resolution so as to 
afford facilities for study to all properly qualified 
students or graduates of universities, other than those 
mentioned in the resolution, and provide for the ap- 
pointment of an officer whose duty it shall be to as- 
*ScIENCE, N.S., Vol. XI., March 16, 1900, pp. 
410-414. 
