xx WORCESTER. 
was added to and its designation was changed to “The Bureau 
of Science.” 
After all plans and estimates had been perfected, it was nec- 
essary to persuade a legislative body, including in its member- 
ship only one lone scientist, to provide the necessary funds. 
Doctor Freer was naturally required to state why he wanted 
what he wanted, with the result that he got it. 
The work speedily outgrew the little one-story building in 
which it started. The biological laboratory was transferred to 
a much larger building on a distant street, and administration 
was thus complicated. 
There was endless delay in the completion of the new build- 
ing. Grossly exaggerated rumors as to its cost led to the charge 
that its erection had involved needless and wasteful expenditure. 
Salaries were necessarily small. 
The underpaid members of the Bureau staff were publicly 
attacked, collectively and in some cases individually, as imprac- 
ticable and visionary beings, who were devoting their energies 
to wasting the funds of a poverty-striken government in use- 
less abstract investigations. 
One member of the Philippine Commission who had con- 
ceived the idea that scientific books were intended only for 
filing in imposing ranks on the wall, as is done with formidable 
looking tomes by lawyers of a certain class, for years bitterly 
assailed every appropriation requested for the Bureau. Through 
good report and ill Doctor Freer held on his course with clear 
foresight and unwavering tenacity of purpose, convinced that 
he should win in the end because he was right. He lived to see 
this belief abundantly justified! 
As the end of his third year of leave approached, he received 
an ultimatum from the Michigan University authorities to the 
effect that he must again take up his university work or sever 
his connection with that institution. An immediate reply by 
cable was necessary. I asked him to state to me the conditions 
under which he would be willing to remain in the Insular service, 
and he did so. No quorum of the Commission was present on 
that day and, as immediate action was imperative, I stated the 
