1884.] Editors’ Table. 1013 
EDITORS’ TABLE. 
EDITORS: A. S. PACKARD, AND E. D. COPE. 
—— Our esteemed contemporary, Science Record, in its issue 
of July 15th makes the following editorial observations : 
“It is a well-known fact among naturalists that much valuable 
scientific work is not the result of the labors of the man over 
whose name it appears. There are several in this country (and 
many in Europe) who employ assistants who do all or nearly all 
of their work, including even the composition of their articles, 
but the names of these assistants are never mentioned, Their 
employers get all the credit for their work. It would seem that 
this shows a lack of common honesty, as it builds up a reputa- 
ea at w expense of the subordinate who really accomplishes 
e wor p 
We have heard these sentiments occasionally expressed since 
the days of our early experience, and have never been able to 
give them our assent. Everything depends on the nature of the 
contract existing between the employer and the employed. If 
the latter agrees to furnish brains to the employer at so mucha 
Month, he will not, if he be a man, complain if the employer 
get credit for possessing greater ability than he is actually pos- 
sessed of. This is, however, a kind of contract which few per- 
Sons on either side of it would desire to make, and only necessity 
could furnish an inducement to enter into it. An employee in 
such an establishment is no more entitled to the credit of the pro- 
Prietor than an intelligent and perhaps necessary clerk is to a 
share in the profits of the business of a mercantile firm. Never- 
theless some persons would rather do this kind of work than be 
an accountant or a farm laborer. It doubtless gives more or less 
cation, and furnishes a stepping-stone to something better. 
A really reprehensible practice is that of appropriating with- 
Out credit the results of the work of others which has sot been 
Paid for. There can be no diversity of opinion on this pomt, 
and he who does it defies his environment, and will not only gam 
nothing by it, but will lose a good deal of good report which he 
might otherwise possess. 
