310 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXV. No. 634 



ceivable that the one in command, or either 

 one of the others, could thus publicly discuss 

 a matter involving mere personal issues. 



2. The issues joined in the letters them- 

 selves do certainly raise questions affecting 

 every American geologist, in or out of the 

 survey, both in his professional capacity and 

 in his relations to the survey as a citizen of 

 the United States. 



3. The scope and attitude of the TJ. S. 

 Geological Survey in its field of work becomes 

 of serious moment if the institution can be 

 justly laid under suspicion of employing its 

 prestige to throttle free discussion. 



4. The internal adjustments of the survey 

 as affects its personnel must always have in- 

 terest to men of science, and it is not a 

 trifling matter when several who have builded 

 their life-work into its structure are compelled 

 to leave it with words of protest. 



5. The relation of the survey to other public 

 (state) surveys is also a matter upon which 

 American geologists have an undoubted right, 

 if not a bounden duty, to express opinions 

 freely. 



6. The relation of the survey to sporadic 

 workers and others closely concerns every fel- 

 low of the Geological Society of America and 

 every geologist who has contributed his mite 

 to the development of this branch of science. 



7. The economic aspects of the national 

 bureau and its industrial connections have 

 given cause for more harsh criticism than 

 any other features of its most versatile em- 

 ployment. 



The director suggests that discussion can 

 not serve a useful purpose. This is not the 

 first, or second, or third time that this plea, 

 urged by friends of the survey, including the 

 writer, has been used to stem a more or less 

 insistent spirit of adverse criticism. A num- 

 ber of times mild editorials have appeared 

 which would have been followed by more 

 drastic writing had not well-wishers of the 

 survey (by no means its beneficiaries, some 

 even who had suffered injustice from it) inter- 

 fered successfully in its behalf. Nay more; 

 for many years members of the survey staff 

 have persistently ignored and, directly or by 

 innuendo, thrown a veil of discredit over work 



previously done, without offering any evidence 

 to offset it, but, on the contrary, confirming 

 the earlier conclusions and taking the credit 

 therefor. These are plain facts. Tet the suf- 

 ferers thereby, patiently awaiting the vindica- 

 tion of time, have stood in the breach and 

 fought for the honor of the survey — ^not for 

 fear of any more harm from the same source, 

 but because their devotion to eternal science 

 transcended all personal and temporary con- 

 siderations. I state these facts very reluc- 

 tantly in the hope that the director and his 

 staff may learn from them what useful purpose 

 may be served by a plain, straightforward 

 agitation of this whole question now. It can 

 not harm the survey, but do it unspeakable 

 good, if all be well with its heart and soul, 

 as Mr. Waleott assures us is the case. But, 

 with equal regard for Mr. Waleott, the names 

 and work and characters of Branner and 

 Hobbs and others are so cherished by Ameri- 

 can geologists that very strong proof must be 

 adduced to convince them that they are now 

 wholly in error. 



It is because of the achievements of the 

 survey corps under the present able director, 

 that his most true friends have used their 

 best endeavors to uphold and strengthen his 

 hands in times of inimical attacks, and not 

 always in accordance with the dictates of their 

 own best judgment. 



To be more explicit. It is very possible 

 that the art of a politican is more effective in 

 securing ample appropriations from congress 

 than could be any amount of geologic ability. 

 But may it not be equally true that a tithe 

 of the amount thus obtained, if actually ap- 

 plied to geologic research, would accomplish 

 • much more in the legitimate field of geology 

 than can now be so utilized? 



The expansion of the geological survey to 

 cover fields of questionable appropriateness has 

 notoriously partaken of political claptrap, 

 justified or palliated by the friends of the 

 survey on the ground of expediency only. 

 And the supreme test of this outside work is 

 mainly yet to be applied. In those portions 

 where the knowledge and experience of the 

 practical geologist would appear to be most 



