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SCIENCE. 



[.N. S. Vol. X..i. No. 526. 



graphical interest as may be decided on, 

 and assume the duty for publishing for all 

 of the affiliated societies. Suggestions more 

 in detail which point the way for securing 

 such cooperation are here presented, it be- 

 ing understood that the first step would be 

 the holding of a convention, at which rep- 

 resentatives of each society which might 

 desire to join the league should be present 

 and assist in framing a constitution and 

 by-laws. 



A preliminary plan for the organization 

 of such a league as just suggested can at 

 least be outlined at the present time and 

 be made a subject for discussion. 



Let the president of each affiliated so- 

 ciety be ex officio a vice-president of the 

 league. Let each affiliated society elect a 

 member of the council of the league for 

 each 500 of its members in excess of 1,000. 

 Such councilors, together with the vice- 

 presidents, to elect each year a president, 

 secretary, editor and treasurer from the 

 members of the affiliated societies not of 

 their own number. The president, vice- 

 presidents, secretary and elected councilors 

 to constitute an execiitive council for trans- 

 acting all business relating to the manage- 

 ment of the league. 



The functions of the league would be the 

 holding of an annual congress open to all 

 the members of the affiliated societies for 

 the purpose of reading and discussing 

 papers, etc., and the publishing of a month- 

 ly magazine or other journal to take the 

 place of the publications previously issued 

 by the several affiliated societies. The ex- 

 pense of each annual congress to be borne 

 by the meinbers in attendance, and the cost 

 of the magazine to be shared by the affili- 

 ated societies in proportion to their active 

 meml)er.ship. 



The executive council referred to should 

 have the power to receive into the league 

 additional societies as it sees fit, and to 

 arrange for the enrollment of members who 



are not on the list of any affiliated society. 



Under either of the plans just proposed, 

 namely, a union of various societies in one 

 American geographical society, or a league 

 of societies, the leading advantages to be 

 expected are such as would flow from, (1) 

 an annual congress of American geograph- 

 ers in addition to our present local meet- 

 ings, and (2) concentration of publications. 



1. The advantage of an annual congress, 

 as may be predicted, would be large audi- 

 ences with wide geographical representa- 

 tion, favorable opportunities for personal 

 conferences and the cementation of friend- 

 ships, and the encouragement that large 

 and representative gatherings would ex- 

 tend to explorers and investigators to pre- 

 sent the best fruits of their labors. To 

 these gains should be added the stimulus 

 such a congress would have in the home 

 cities of the affiliated societies, at which 

 sessions would be held, thus tending each 

 year in an important way to extend the 

 influence and enlarge the membership of 

 some one local society. The greater influ- 

 ence on legislation to be expected from the 

 combined voices of many societies over the 

 efforts of any single, local society, suggests 

 a practically new' field of iisefulness to the 

 geographers of America. 



The chief objections that arise in refer- 

 ence to holding an annual congress of 

 American geographers are two in number : 

 First, the large number of similar meetings 

 now held each year, with which many geog- 

 raphers are more or less closely identified. 

 Whether it is desirable to endeavor to pro- 

 mote still farther this plan of scientific de- 

 velopment is indeed a serious question, and 

 one that calls for discussion. The second 

 objection is, that owing to the wide geo- 

 graphical distribution of our geographical 

 societies, the proposed annual meetings 

 would be but meagerly attended by the 

 members of the affiliated societies located 

 at a distance from Ihc chosen places of 



