JUNE 28, 1901.] 
certain and make known what facilities for research 
exist in the Government departments, and arrange 
with the heads of the departments, and with the offi- 
cers in charge of the Government collections, on terms 
satisfactory to them, rules and regulations under 
which suitably qualified persons might have access 
to these collections for the purpose of research with 
due regard to the needs and requirements of the work 
of the Government ; and that it should also be his 
duty to direct, in a manner satisfactory to the heads 
of such departments and officers in charge, the re- 
searches of such persons into lines which will pro- 
mote the interests of the Government and the devel- 
opment of the natural resources, agriculture, manu- 
factures and commerce of the country, and (generally) 
promote the progress of science and the useful arts, 
and the increase and diffusion of knowledge among 
men. 
This resolution referred the matter to 
Congress. Many members of both Houses 
doubt whether Congress has power under 
the Constitution to appropriate money raised 
by taxation for purposes of education, and 
nothing was done by Congress, as the reso- 
lution was not officially brought before it. 
ORGANIZATION OF THE WASHINGTON ME- 
MORIAL INSTITUTION. 
At this point the Washington Academy 
of Sciences undertook to give the proposi- 
tion to utilize the resources of the Govern- 
ment for higher education and research a 
practical form, independent of direct Gov- 
ernment support or control. For several 
months the Academy had been conferring 
with the George Washington Memorial As- 
sociation relative to erecting in Washington 
a memorial building to be dedicated to sci- 
ence, literature and the liberal arts. The 
president of the Academy suggested to the 
Memorial Association that it should so 
amend its act of incorporation that it could 
cooperate with the Academy in carrying out 
the objects common to both organizations. 
The suggested amendments were made, and 
an agreement was entered into substantially 
as follows : 
The objects of the George Washington 
Memorial Association are, first, as implied 
SCIENCE. 
1009 
in its name, the creation of a memorial to 
George Washington ; and second, as stated 
in its amended act of incorporation, the in- 
crease in the city of Washington of oppor- 
tunities and facilities for higher education, 
as recommended by George Washington in 
his various annual messages to Congress, 
notably the first—7. e., ‘the promotion of 
science and literature,’ substantially as set 
forth in his last will, and by and through 
such other plans and methods as may be 
necessary or suitable. The object of the 
Washington Academy of Sciences, the fed- 
erated head of the scientific societies of 
Washington, is the promotion of science, 
the term ‘science’ being used in its gen- 
eral sense— knowledge, comprehension of 
facts and principles.’ 
The two organizations agreed, first, that, 
although American universities have so 
developed since George Washington’s time 
that they fulfill many of the objects of the 
national university outlined by him as de- 
sirable for the youth of the United States, 
there is still need of an organization in the 
city of Washington which shall facilitate 
the utilization of the various scientific and 
other resources of the Government for pur- 
poses of research, thus cooperating with 
all universities, colleges and individuals 
in giving to men and women the practical 
post-graduate training which cannot be ob- 
tained elsewhere in the United States and 
which is now available only to a limited 
degree in the city of Washington, and, 
second, that the best method of securing 
the objects for which both organizations 
stand is the establishment, within the dis- 
trict selected by Washington as a site for 
the permanent seat of Government of the 
United States, of an institution whose ob- 
ject shall be the realization of Washing- 
_ton’s repeatedly expressed wish and recom- 
mendation that provision be made for the 
promotion of science and literature. 
The membership of the Academy in- 
