2 ANNUAL EEPOET SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1909. 



There has been no change in the personnel of the Board since my 

 last report. 



Meetings of the Regents were held on December 15, 1908, and on 

 February 10, 1909, the proceedings of which Avill be printed as cus- 

 tomary in the annual report of the Board to Congress. 



GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 



I deem it proper here to point out the fact that the activities of the 

 Institution are greatly restricted by the very limited annual income 

 at its disposal. 



The influence of the Institution in the development of science in 

 this country is too well known to require comment. Its advice is 

 daily sought on scientific matters, not only by other establishments of 

 learning but by individuals all over the land, and that its usefulness 

 has been by no means restricted to this country is evidenced by the 

 fact that the name of the Smithsonian Institution is equally as well 

 known and respected abroad as at home. 



But the means derived from the interest on the Smithson fund 

 and other private funds for keeping up the work of the Institution 

 proper have not kept pace with the growth of the country and the 

 constantly increasing demands upon them. The original amount of 

 the Smithson fund of about half a million dollars meant many 

 times over in 1846 what it does to-day, even with the half million 

 which has been gradually added since then. Its income has been 

 economically administered, but it is too limited to carry on any ex- 

 tensive investigations. There are many researches and explorations 

 which the Institution is peculiarly well fitted to organize and super- 

 vise, on which the income from an endowment of twenty millions 

 could be wisely and effectively expended. 



The Institution has in the past few years received a number of 

 noteworthy gifts in the Harriet Lane Johnston, Freer, and Evans 

 art collections, and an endowment for the fine arts would give a great 

 return for centuries to come by making possible the fostering and 

 stimulating of the fine arts in all its branches. 



Under the general plan of organization adopted by the Board 

 of Regents in 1847, the work of the Institution in the " increase of 

 knowledge " is not limited to investigations in the field of science 

 and art, but historical and ethnological researches, and statistical 

 inquiries with reference to physical, moral, and political subjects, are 

 enumerated as objects for which appropriations should be made. 



In the humanities there is need of a fearless, thorough, scientific 

 study of the elements entering into the great race problems of the 

 Americas. Until the fundamental tendencies of the differing races 

 now within these areas are intelligently understood, not only by the 

 few, but by the many, a practical understanding of threatening social 



