Apeil 2, 1897.] 



SCIENCE. 



527 



scientific work and investigation that the 

 cost of buildings and apparatus, together 

 with the apparent propects for immediate 

 and valuable results, compels a not unfavor- 

 able comparison with the progress of two 

 centuries in the older and more wealthy 

 countries of Europe. 



That these achievements were not all real 

 or highly satisfactory was not altogether 

 the fault of the scientific men who zealously 

 labored in the good cause. Under a mon- 

 archical or paternal form of government the 

 nominal head possesses the power and as- 

 sumes the responsibility. The heads of 

 departments and the directors of public 

 works are given certain powers and are held 

 to a rigid accountability. An ideal republic 

 might enjoy similar advantages, but a re- 

 public in esse is not always so fortunate. 



Theoretically, all citizens of a republic 

 owe their government equal and faithful 

 service ; but actual equality of individuals 

 under any form of government, save in re- 

 gard to the right to protection of person and 

 property under the law, is a myth, a weak 

 survival of the time when popular senti- 

 ment misquoted reason in the arena of prac- 

 tical politics. Out of this erroneous theory, 

 however, has grown in our Republic a 

 somewhat hazy and ill-defined feeling that 

 any citizen is competent as an executive, 

 an administrator, a legislator, a jurist or a 

 director of scientific investigation. 



This nebulous but popular belief in the 

 varied aptitude of our citizens has in many 

 instances resulted in serious damage to some 

 of those centers of scientific work which 

 come under the control of the - Govern- 

 ment. 



For many years the political theory that 

 ' to the victors belong the spoils ' cast its 

 baneful influence over the scientific as well 

 as the business branches of the executive 

 departments, and social and bureaucratic, 

 leagued with political, influences left few 

 positions for the unfortunate men of science 



who were forced to rely on the power of 

 their own accomplishments. 



Another and by no means a minor factor 

 in the relations of science and the Govern- 

 ment is a popular notion of the status of 

 the scientific investigator in society in this 

 country. From one standpoint he is re- 

 garded as a human prodigy, gifted beyond 

 his fellows, able to fathom all the subtle 

 mysteries of nature; one by whom all 

 moral and social as well as physical prob- 

 lems are readily solved with more than or- 

 dinary human certainty. On the other 

 hand, when the practical politician, or some 

 other fortunate man born to direct affairs, 

 assumes the direction of a branch of the 

 government service he looks upon the sci- 

 entific man as a more or less harmless 

 eccentric, a feeble specimen of manhood, 

 but, unfortunately, sometimes necessary to 

 the existence of his bureau. Pity for his 

 assumed helplessness is mingled with crude 

 flattery in such proportions as are deemed 

 expedient to secure the necessary profes- 

 sional work, while at the same time the 

 unhappy man of science is assured that be 

 is peculiarly fortunate in having the guid- 

 ance and protection of a man. of affairs 

 who knows the ways of the world. 



It is hardly necessary to say that, as a 

 matter of fact, both these extreme views of 

 the scientific man are usually wrong. In 

 general he differs from his fellows only in 

 the possession of some peculiar aptitude or 

 talent for study or investigation in some de- 

 partment of science. He may be a good 

 chemist, and shirk every duty of a good 

 citizen ; a learned mathematician, with 

 manners and tastes that bear no trace of 

 gentle breeding or moral training ; a gifted 

 biologist, but with a selfish greed that puts 

 him out of touch with the best citizens, the 

 wisest government or the true unselfish 

 seeker after truth in any sphere of human 

 endeavor ; in short, the manifestation of 

 ability in scientific pursuits, as in other 



