964 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVI. No. 416. 



energy can be found — none which would 

 place the institution and its head higher 

 in the estimation of the world of learning 

 — than its exclusive devotion to this ob- 

 ject. "Without any disrespect to the func- 

 tions of the general administrator of the 

 National Museum, the Zoological Park and 

 other government establishments under the 

 direction of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 we cannot but feel that the functions we 

 have described as appropriate are of a 

 higher order, especially when performed 

 by men of the eminent standing in the sci- 

 entific world which has been held by the 

 three secretaries of the institution. 



It also seems to us much to be regretted 

 if, as we interpret the statement of the re- 

 port, the larger part of the income from 

 the Smithsonian fund is employed in filling 

 deficiencies in the government appropria- 

 tions for the care and exhibition of its col- 

 lections. The Smithsonian building is not 

 necessary for the proper purposes of the 

 institution. It is, indeed, almost entirely 

 occupied by collections which are the prop- 

 erty of the United States. If, as we sup- 

 pose, some $40,000 of the income is 

 expended in operations connected with 

 and going on in this building and in the 

 National Museum, then the divergence of 

 the policy from that defined by the first 

 secretary of the institution is marked 

 indeed. 



We do not overlook the claim that aU the 

 objects of expenditure may be in the line 

 of diffusing Imowledge. But, if we ad- 

 mit this claim, we must also grant that the 

 most powerful agency employed by our 

 government for this purpose is the Gov- 



ernment Printing Office. It is difficult 

 to see why the Smithsonian income might 

 not be as legitimately expended in the sup- 

 port of this ofiice as in the housing, care 

 and exhibition of the government col- 

 lections. 



If our view, based on these considera- 

 tions, is correct, two radical changes 

 should be made in the policy in question. 

 The separation advocated by Professor 

 Henry between the Smithsonian Institution 

 and bureaus of the government placed 

 under its conti'ol, should be carried out. 

 Whatever reasons may have existed in 

 former times for this combination have 

 now ceased to be operative. We have a 

 Department of Agriculture to which most 

 of the work in question appropriately be- 

 longs, against the administration of which 

 not a shadow of suspicion is felt. The 

 government should make all the appropria- 

 tions necessary for the care, preservation 

 and exhibition of its collections, without 

 putting any part of this expense on the 

 bequest of a foreigner. The time of the 

 head of the institution should not be taken 

 up with administrative details, but should 

 be devoted to the application of its large 

 income to the worthy purpose of increasing 

 and diffusing knowledge. We are sure 

 that, by taking this step, the standing of 

 the institution and of its head in the eyes 

 of the scientific public would be greatly 

 enhanced. 



The other measure is complete publicity 

 of the operations and expenditures of the 

 institution. Instead of the general state- 

 ments of expenditure now in the reports, 

 we should have a specific statement of the 



