1880. | Editors Table. IIQ 
cil. Whether it is managed in the interest of the specialists may 
be inferred from the fact that’ most of these gentlemen do their 
work at private houses and do not place their collections in the 
building of the academy. It is undoubtedly to the interest of the 
original investigator, at the present time not to work there, and 
many reasons for this may be elicited, on enquiry, by any one 
interested in pursuing this part of the subject. 
(2.) It is objected, in various paragraphs that “the effect of the 
_ proposed alteration will be to make the council ultimately con- 
sist of twelve professors elected by the council for life and the 
eleven officers of the academy elected annually for one year. 
The officers of the academy will always be a minority in the 
council, and when one person fills two offices this minority will 
be more decided.” In our opinion this provision is an important 
element in the proper administration of the affairs of an academy 
of sciences. The development of science being the primary 
object of the institution, those persons who devote their time to 
it should constitute a majority of its management, while others 
may be called in as important aids and counsellors. In institu- 
tions having other objects it is customary to call in scientific 
‘experts as aids, but not to make them a majority of the manage- 
Ment. It is also evident that the specialists are the best, if not 
the only critics of each other’s conduct, while the supposition that 
they will combine to plunder the academy, is preposterous. But 
here let us observe, that as the by-laws provide that the council 
shall elect the professors, the matter is in their own hands as to 
what class shall be in the majority. Hence the statement that 
the new by-law discussed, at once creates a majority of professors 
in the council, is erroneous. And it was on this false issue that 
the late election was probably decided. It will be very easy to 
rectify any defects of this part of the plan, if necessary. ; 
3.) “The appointment of professors cannot be reasonably — 
expected until endowments for their compensation have been — 
obtained.” This proposition has been put forth ad nauseam by 
the opponents of the plan under discussion. Having excluded pro- 
fessors from council, they ask for applications, and because there ~ 
are none, expect us to believe that the plan “has failed” for want 
of funds, They ignore the fact that the curators who now per- 
orm the more laborious part of the work of the proposed professors _ 
are not salaried officers, though they employ one of their own 
number to fulfill certain duties. They forget that one professor 
has been appointed and is performing his duties. They do not 
realize, perhaps, that the learned conservator of the conchological 
Peete is, in all important respects, professor at the present time. 
ad hn 
department has expanded into the most extensive one in the 
institution. Why cannot other departments be similarly admit 
istered? The scientists of the city who are working in 
ch has been the advantage of this arrangement, that that ee 
