DOCTOR FREER AND THE BUREAU OF SCIENCE. xxi 



facts to four of my colleagues, with a view to obtaining their 

 prior approval. Doctor Freer's proposition was perfectly clear 

 to me and I thought that I made it clear to them. They agreed 

 to accept his offer as they understood it. With a majority of 

 the Commission thus pledged to its acceptance, I informed him 

 that it would be accepted, and he then immediately severed 

 his connection with the University of Michigan by cable. A 

 few days later when I requested definite official action by the 

 Commission, I found to my consternation that two of the mem- 

 bers with whom I had consulted had failed clearly to understand 

 the terms on which Doctor Freer was willing to remain. When 

 the matter came to a vote my action was not confirmed. I was, 

 therefore, compelled to inform him that he would not be given 

 the salary for which he had stipulated and that the fault of 

 this unfortunate blunder lay entirely with me for the reason 

 that I had failed to submit his proposition to my colleagues in 

 writing and to secure on the face of the document their written 

 approval. 



He immediately cabled to ascertain whether he could with- 

 draw his resignation from the faculty of the University of 

 Michigan, but before his message was received his place had 

 been filled. 



It is a significant commentary on his character that, although 

 he felt, rightly, that a grave injustice had been done him, he 

 remained loyal both to the man who was primarily responsible 

 for it and to the Government which he served. 



With the lapse of time the work conducted under his wise 

 guidance rapidly and steadily developed. The Bureau of Gov- 

 ernment Laboratories absorbed the Bureau of Mines, took up 

 botany, ornithology, entomology, fisheries, cement testing, and 

 other new lines of investigation, and thus became the Bureau of 

 Science. It furnished its own light, power, steam, and gas so 

 economically that it was required to perform these functions for 

 the College of Medicine and Surgery and for the Philippine Gen- 

 eral Hospital. These changes meant larger working quarters 

 and a material addition to the power plant, which were provided 

 under Doctor Freer's always competent and efficient direction. 



