August 23, 1901.] 



SCIENCE, 



279 



tation of the primary associations ; and ful- 

 filling any other duties connected with 

 scientific interests and its own mainte- 

 nance. 



Two methods of procedure toward the 

 organization of such a Senate of Science 

 present themselves : The first suggestion is 

 that of creation de novo, on the initiation 

 of a few leaders in scientific thought. The 

 chief advantage of this method would seem 

 to lie in the freedom from entangling al- 

 liances ; the chief obstacle would seem to 

 grow out of the large initial energy re- 

 quired to set the mechanism in effective 

 operation. The second suggestion is that 

 of utilizing some existing organization, nat- 

 urally of national character, as a nucleus. 

 The chief advantage of this method would 

 be that of economy in initial energy ; while 

 a serious obstacle might grow out of the in- 

 disposition of any existing association of 

 national character to undertake the neces- 

 sary reorganization. As between the two 

 methods suggested, the sum of theoretical 

 advantages would seem to favor the inde- 

 pendent organization ; though it might 

 easily be that practical considerations would 

 turn the advantage toward the method of 

 reorganization of an existing society. 



On reviewing the societies which might 

 yield a nucleus for a national Senate of 

 Science, several would seem worthy of con- 

 sideration on various grounds ; yet such 

 consideration would seem to eliminate all 

 but two or three from final review. These 

 are (1) the American Association for the 

 Advancement of Science, the oldest of our 

 national scientific societies of general char- 

 acter, and the one most completely in touch 

 with the scientists of the entire country ; 

 (2) the National Academy of Sciences, the 

 most dignified and exclusive of our volun- 

 tary associations of scientific character ; 

 and perhaps (3) the Washington Academy 

 of Sciences, one of the youngest and most 

 vigorous of our scientific organizations, and 



one already possessing (at least in inchoate 

 form) a confederate character. 



The availability of the last-named organ- 

 ization would seem questionable, primarily 

 on the ground of its local character, partly 

 because of its j^outh and the consequent 

 uncertainty as to its real character and 

 actual prospects. Although apparently 

 available on casual consideration, the ISTa- 

 tional Academy would seem on closer 

 scrutiny to be fundamentally unsuitable as 

 a nucleus for a coordinative super- organiza- 

 tion ; for it is based largely on foreign 

 models, is out of accord with the theory 

 and the practice of popular government,, 

 and has developed functions diametrically 

 antagonistic to the limited tenure and repre- 

 sentative character which would seem req- 

 uisite for the success of a working senate. 

 True, its membership comprises the most 

 honored names in American science, men. 

 whose prestige and support would doubtless 

 be essential to the success of a more general 

 organization ; but it would appear probable 

 that most of the working members of this 

 dignified body would enter in due course, 

 by virtue of their standing, into a repre- 

 sentative organization. The remaining so- 

 ciety (the American Association for the 

 Advancement of Science) would seem to 

 offer an available nucleus through its 

 Council, a body already representative in 

 that it is made up largely of delegates 

 nominated in the several nearly independ- 

 ent sections. It has the further advantage 

 of serving already as a nucleus for other 

 scientific organizations, a number of which 

 meet with it annually, contributing mate- 

 rially to its standing and its influence on 

 current thought concerning matters of 

 scientific interest. This aspect of the Asso- 

 ciation and its Council was brought out 

 clearly in a recent number of Science, and 

 the exposition need not now be repeated ; 

 it sufl&ces to note that the organization of 

 the Association, its large and widely dis- 



