12 
technical position in another State. One of the leading questions, put 
to him in reference to his application, was, ‘“‘ What are your politics?” 
and the information was offered that if he belonged to one of the two 
parties named he had better put it mildly, as the managing board had 
some decided opinions in regard to that point. A part of my title refers 
to the future of our profession, but I want to say that if we are to have 
any future, this sort of thing must end somewhere near its beginning, and 
what is true of our own science is true of all. I hope this association 
will take the initiative, and pass resolutions protesting against the 
appointment on the basis of political prejudices of men or women to 
fill scientific positions. In agricultural colleges and experiment sta- 
tions there have been within the last year or two some revolutions that 
bode no good to the entire system. Political interferences with such 
institutions should result in the prompt withdrawal of all financial aid 
from the Federal Government. No man with a reasonable amount of 
self-respect and a reputation to lose can remain long under such 
influences as will naturally result from such changes. 
International conferences for various purposes are being held with 
constantly increasing frequency—conferences for the purpose of dis- 
cussing and adjusting monetary matters, postal regulations, boundary 
lines between nations, and for the protection of the seals in their native 
haunts. Several years ago a couple of entomologists were sent by this 
country to Australia, and the monetary benefits to this country growing 
out of that act of our Department of Agriculture have continued and 
increased until this day, while I believe the Australian people have also 
derived some benefit from the innovation. I know at least one of those 
entomologists has been able to serve his country and state better since 
his return. An American entomologist is now the official entomologist 
of Cape Colony, South Africa, and another is at present in the Argen- 
tine Republic, engaged in the investigation of some injurious insects of 
that country. Last March, there was held in the city of Washington 
a convention for the purpose of taking measures to secure national 
legislation in regard to the inspection of nursery stock, not only such 
as iS grown in this country but also that imported into this country 
from abroad, and the American Association of Nurserymen, at a meet- 
ing held still more recently in St. Louis, Mo., drafted and indorsed a 
similar bill. It is safe to say that Congress will probably enact a bill 
during the coming winter that will not only place large horticultural 
interests in our keeping, but bring us in direct codperation with other 
countries in the matter of apphed entomology. Upon our faithfulness 
and capabilities large financial interests will depend, for we shall meet 
and measure up, so to speak, by the side of the entomologists of other 
countries whose training and environment have been such as to necesst- 
tate an exactness which our institutions do not, at least many of them, 
either demand or encourage. 
If in one State a political and steamboat manager is to be appointed 
