234 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIV. No. 346. 



time our special scientific journals were 

 first established. In the intervening per- 

 iod the scientific work under the Govern- 

 ment has remarkably expanded. The 

 membership of the American Association 

 increased from 867 in 1876 to 2,033 in 1883. 



But this period of scientific activity has 

 been to a large measure confined to the 

 Atlantic seaboard. Even at the present 

 time, we find that of the 86 members of 

 the National Academy only one lives west 

 of Chicago, and of the 864 fellows of the 

 American Association only about 60 live 

 west of that city. The central and western 

 states have been in the colonial relation to 

 the Atlantic seaboard that it had pre- 

 viously held to Europe. Students have 

 come to the eastern universities, and the 

 scientific men for the central and western 

 States have been drawn from the east. 

 But the establishment of Chicago and Stan- 

 ford Universities and the development of 

 the State universities represent the same 

 movement that occurred earlier in the east. 

 Within a few years the center of population 

 — slowly moving westward and now in 

 southern Indiana — may be the center 

 of scientific men and scientific activity. 

 Omens and coincidences may not appeal to 

 men of science, but it is perhaps worth 

 noting that the fiftieth meeting of the Asso- 

 ciation in the first year of the new century 

 should celebrate an epoch in the develop- 

 ment of science in America. 



A little while since (June 21) there was 

 published in this journal an article calling 

 attention to the importance of the American 

 Association for science in America, and it 

 is not necessary to repeat now what was 



then said. We wish, however, to empha- 

 size the significance of the approaching 

 meeting and to urge the need of a large at- 

 tendance and of a representative scientific 

 program. The responsibility here rests 

 with each member individually. It is not 

 easy to say anything except the trite on 

 such a subject, for we all know that scien- 

 tific work, like everything else, depends on 

 the willingness of all to unite for a common 

 cause. The trip to Denver, either from the 

 east or from the scientific centers of the 

 west, is certainly long and expensive. 

 When, however, the National Educational 

 Association met recently in that city there 

 was an attendance of 10,000 members, 

 the largest in its history. The members of 

 the American Association should at least 

 aim at making the same record. 



The permanent secretary informs us that 

 many prominent scientific men from the 

 east have signified their intention to be 

 present, and that the representatives of 

 science in the central and western states 

 guarantee a large attendance. It cannot be 

 expected that as many afl&liated societies 

 will meet at Denver as last year at New 

 York, but the names of nine will be found 

 on the preliminary program. We published 

 last week a list of forty-five papers offered 

 in chemistry, and other sciences are corre- 

 spondingly well represented. The address 

 of the President, Professor AVoodward, of 

 Columbia University, entitled ' The Pro- 

 gress of Science,' is certain to be an event of 

 more than ordinary importance ; and one 

 of our most eminent students of the physical 

 sciences will be succeeded in the chair by 

 one of our most eminent students of the 



