42 



SCIENCE, 



[Vol. V., No. 102. 



organization based upon this same principle, 

 resulting from a recommendation of the same 

 academy — can for an instant doubt the impor- 

 tance of applying that principle to all govern- 

 ment work of like character which admits 

 of it. It is not simply that it is the most 

 economical and the most rational, the 011I3 7 

 scientific principle ; but, removing sources of 

 political disturbance, it will allow the natural 

 and healthiest development of our resources, 

 and affect the material advancement of the 

 nation. Ultimately there will be an autono- 

 mous and independent department, on a per- 

 manent footing, on a level with those of war, 

 state, and treasury, into which will be gathered 

 all the bureaus of original research, of the 

 sciences and industries, and of education, that 

 are not indissolubly connected with already 

 existing departments ; as, the mint with the 

 treasury, the hydrographic bureau with the 

 navy, etc. Then we shall wonder why this 

 result was not sooner reached. As it is, each 

 step now tends, directly or indirectly, to that 

 end ; and, whatever possible rebuff the princi- 

 ple of co-ordination ma} 7 meet with at the 

 present time, — and we look for none worse 

 than its oversight through political jugglery, — 

 we may feel confident that it will rise again to 

 the surface. 



The precise method of accomplishing the 

 end desired, which the committee of the acad- 

 emy has proposed, — that of a mixed commis- 

 sion of superintendenc} T , — has found a critic 

 before the joint committee of congress in Major 

 Powell, the head of the geological bureau, 

 whose views were given at length before the 

 committee, and are printed in full in this week's 

 issue, though without the discussion to which 

 they gave rise in the committee, this having 

 not yet been made public. Major Powell lays 

 before the committee two fundamental princi- 

 ples which we believe no unprejudiced person, 

 reading his full statement, will be inclined to 

 deny : 1°, that the scientific institutions of the 

 government should be placed under one gen- 

 eral management; and, 2°, that the several 

 bureaus engaged in research should be left free 



to prosecute such research in all its details, 

 without dictation from superior authoruy in 

 respect to the methods of research to be used. 

 He objects, however, to a commission formed 

 partly of civilians and partly of military men, 

 as composed of incongruous elements, since 

 military and civil methods of administration 

 are entirely diverse, and proceed upon diamet- 

 rically opposed theories. The military officer 

 plans and commands : the civil officer hears, 

 weighs, and decides. He makes a more for- 

 cible objection by showing how delicate the 

 relations of a board composed largely of sub- 

 ordinate officials would be to the different 

 heads of departments, since then the secre- 

 taries would simply become channels through 

 which instructions to the very officials com- 

 posing the board would be transmitted. 



All must admit that at least the second of 

 these exceptions is well taken, and it is there- 

 fore gratifying to find Major Powell construc- 

 tive as well as destructive. He proposes that 

 an already existing board should be invested 

 with these new duties ; one, too, which is ex- 

 cellently composed, and which would be in 

 some respects more acceptable to the average 

 congressman because chosen in large part by 

 his suffrages, viz., the board of regents of the 

 Smithsonian institution, — a board composed of 

 the chief justice, the vice-president, three mem- 

 bers of either house of congress chosen by the 

 presiding officer, and six citizens chosen by 

 joint resolution of congress. This plan would 

 avoid the difficulties pointed out by Major 

 Powell, and has the additional merit that the 

 proposed co-ordination is then carried a step 

 farther, since the institution itself would be 

 under the same control. It would also render 

 the further step to be taken (the creation of a 

 department of science) much simpler, and less 

 beset with difficulties, by removing one of the 

 present chief difficulties in the way of any re- 

 form, — departmental jealousies. It is, how- 

 ever, too early yet to discuss this question 

 fairly ; for we have not yet before us the full 

 development of Major Powell's proposition, 



