20 PROCEEDINGS OF THE PRINCETON MEETING 



to the right or privilege of publication and the critical judgment of the Secre- 

 tary and the censors. All papers are referred to critics, and refusal of publi- 

 cation is never based on the adverse opinion of a single censor. 



In this connection, commendation should be given to the printers of the 

 Bulletin. Judd & Detweiler. Washington. D. C have been the printers from 

 the first and have taken great interest and pride in the publication. Without 

 their sympathetic c-ooperation it is not likely that the Editor would have been 

 able to carry on his work. 



The list of ''Exchanges." or institutions, as free recipients of the Bulletin 

 was compiled with much care, and the distribution of the first volumes was 

 in 1891. to about 70 institutions scattered over the world. The aim was to 

 place the Bulletin where it would be within reach and most useful to geolo- 

 gists, and with little or no reference to any return in kind. The number of 

 exchanges has been kept small, so as not to cheapen the publication, varying 

 at about SiK being at the present time 75. 



Through the offices of the Editor and Sec-retary the Society has conducted a 

 publishing business, and the Secretary has l>een running a sales-store by corre- 

 spondence. The advertising and sale of the Bulletin to libraries and the 

 public began in 1892. The price to libraries was made low, at a flat rate of 

 $5 per volume, rec-ently increased to ?7.50. 



The receipts from Bulletin sales has been an imix)rtant item of income. 

 The public-ation cost not including distribution, of the first 16 volumes was 

 $30,629.55 — an average, per volume, of .?1. 914.35. The receipts from sale of 

 those volumes up to the end of 1912 is $10,836.17, being an average of $677.25, 

 which is practically one-third of the c-ost. This is a good showing for a 

 technical publication. 



Officers and CouncU. — Another important element in the immediate success 

 of the Society was the tactful work of the organizing Secretary, Prof. J. J. 

 Stevenson, On him fell the duty of devising methods of procedure, forms of 

 printing, etc.. to carry out the spirit and letter of the rules and the purix)se of 

 the Society. But the difficult task was the harmonizing of personal difficulties 

 and jealousies that had arisen, due to the lack of a social gathering and 

 coordinating, unifying body, and of gathering into the membership the leading 

 geologists, necessary to give standing to the new Society. A Secretary without 

 tact and personal influence could have killed the organization at the brin- 

 ing, but Stevenson's subtle task was so well done that in two years he dared 

 to trust the office in other hands. 



The "team-work" of the Council and officers, with the confidence and co- 

 operation of the Fellows, has been admirable. At bottom this is an expression 

 of the unselfish, altruistic spirit which naturally belongs to the scienc-e : but 

 there were favorable conditions. The six Councillors, with terms of three 

 years, were ineligible for immediate reelection and represented different geo- 

 graphic sections of the continent. While the Council had large powers, there 

 were effective checks. If we examine the Council minutes, which are open 

 to our inspection, we will find no record of any serious disagreement or un- 

 pleasant episode. Mattel's were discussed always on the basis of the Society's 

 good, and nearly always settled by unanimous consent. Frequent meetings in 

 the first years kept the Council in close touch ^^^th and consequent interest in 

 the work of the administrative officers. 



