1885. ] Editors’ Table. 1187 
also excavations for fossils on any but a limited scale. The crea- 
tion and support of scientific museums and laboratories must 
have the assistance of a heavy purse; and finally, governments 
have generally been the only medium of publication of results 
on any considerable scale. 
Official science has, however, no shield of Achilles which shall 
protect her from the usual temptations of power and from the 
methods of politics. It is true that she more surely stands or 
falls on her merits than any other representative of human labor, 
yet as she is the teacher of mankind, who is to decide the ques- 
tion of merit? That she may become corrupted, so that the love 
of fame and power may supplant the love of knowledge, is not 
impossible, The man of politics can see and understand this, 
and whether true or not, charges against scientific men holding 
official position will be preferred, as in the case of other office- 
holders. The public press has on various recent occasions applied 
the term “ political scientist,” and has attempted to point out per- 
sons to whom the expression is appropriate. Although a “ politi- 
cal scientist” is a conceivable person, the applications made by 
the newspapers have been wide of the mark. The term is not 
appropriate to a man because he secures large or small appropria- 
tions from Congress to be expended on scientific work. All 
honor to such men, whoever they are. Their country and the 
world owe them gratitude, not sneers. . 
If we were to seek to define a “ political scientist ” we would de- 
scribe him as a man who sought the aid of the resources of the 
Government to hold an office for its emoluments or honors to 
which his abilities and services to science do not entitle him. In 
order to do this he will reproduce the ideas of others without ac- 
knowledgment ; he will endeavor, through means well known to 
men in official position, to suppress criticism of his work, and thus 
to reach an eminence of popular reputation which is purely facti- 
tious. Such would bea man who might appear to fulfill the duties 
of his position by the employment of persons to do his scientific 
work for him. A “political scientist ” would spend little time in 
his study, and a great deal of time with prominent persons of all 
kinds, gaining the “influence” that comes from personal repre- 
sentations in the many quarters where the merits of questions of 
science are unknown. The “ political scientist” might flourish 
for a time in this country, and his existence would be a constant 
menace to the prosperity of Government scientific enterprises, 
and would react disastrously on the men of real merit. 
—— The Legislature of Michigan has done itself discredit in 
the treatment of the last Geological Survey of that State. It re- 
moved Professor Rominger, a most competent man, and put in his 
` place a man less known, who, however, has his future in his own 
hands, It refuses to publish the report of Professor Rominger, | 
