SUCCESS WITH SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS. 471 



enough, to share the every-day interests of every-day people. 

 Whether from limitation or choice, no sachem of Tammany is 

 ever so far ahead of his followers as to be hidden from them by 

 the curvature of the earth. A teacher of political economy in a 

 leading American university declares that the man politically 

 most influential in this country is the bar-tender ; if so, what polit- 

 ical text-book or society for political instruction has ever reck- 

 oned with him ? 



A few of the more noteworthy organizations which meet 

 statedly, publish their discussions as well as their papers — a 

 praiseworthy and useful thing to do. This plan is adopted by 

 the American Library Association, a body which renders invalu- 

 able service to public libraries, and hence to popular education. 

 The papers to be read at its next meeting, at Chicago, July 13th 

 to 22d, have been assigned to representative men and women in 

 such wise that published as a volume they will form a complete 

 handbook of library economy. This introduction of a compre- 

 hensive purpose in gathering contributions that otherwise might 

 be disconnected and desultory is an idea well worth transplanting 

 wherever admissible. The Library Association owes its origin and 

 success in large measure to a secretary of uncommon ability and 

 energy, fertile in ideas and indefatigable in giving them effect. 

 This year he is president. An efficient executive officer is indis- 

 pensable in arranging the details for a successful meeting. With 

 the principal papers and discussions arranged for, he pays a pre- 

 liminary visit to the place of meeting. He makes sure that the 

 sessional halls are convenient, ample, and suitably furnished and 

 served ; that, if need be, stereopticon views can be properly shown, 

 and that hotel and other quarters are in readiness. He confers 

 with the reception committee, whom he finds not only willing but 

 anxious that out of the fullness of his experience of shortcomings 

 he shall freely speak. He sees that the printed matter of his asso- 

 ciation is put where people can get it. If, as the civil-service 

 reformers do, he distributes a " primer," it does not fail to say 

 how one can join the organization that sent it forth. He co- 

 operates with the local press in telling the community what peo- 

 ple of eminence or note are coming, what they are eminent or 

 notable for, and what they mean to read and discuss. Aided by 

 having the principal papers in print, when the meeting takes 

 place he is enabled to insure fullness, or at least correctness, in 

 the press reports of sessions, remembering that many more will 

 read these reports than can come to session halls. Each day, as 

 early as he can, he takes pains to send to the newspapers the next 

 day's programme. He engages a stenographer to take down the 

 discussions; they may not be published, but they are worth 

 keeping on record, if for no other reason than that they show 



