Annual Address by the President. 13 
this channel. Not only this, but the answers to many of Nature’s prob- 
lems will' only come — ^can only come — after a patient, painstaking study 
of fossils and rocks. A "'cabinet fiend” a geologist ! Never did public 
opinion shoot wider of the murk. 
Again, there are certain persons who confuse a geologist 'with a chem- 
ist, assayer, mining engineer. Now, while he may know much or little of 
the branches which they represent, professionally, he o'ocupies a different 
field. It is admitted, of course, that occasionally, sometimes frequently, 
problems arise in ‘which outside knowledge is a necessity, and especially 
that of chemistry. (That this should be so need cause no surprise, for 
geolog}^ be it remembered, is a composite science, which, in various direc- 
tions, merges — blends — ^^with other lines of research. 
THE SPECIALIST AND APPLIED SCIENCE. 
A geologist may be an "expert,” using this vague term to indicate a 
specialist in some particular field, as an "expert in oil,” "in natural gas,” 
"in coal.” Here his knowledge is of great practical value, und pure 
science gives place to applied. Thus, economic geology becomes an agent 
for the acquirement of 'wealth, and is, therefore, of no little importance 
in the development of the world’s material resources. 
In some communities the function of a geologist is confused with that 
of a '"prospector.” Those who have served on state geological surveys 
will recall the oft-repeated interrogatory: "Mister, are you looking for 
mineral ?” While the geologist is not prohibited from prospecting, nor 
even from assaying, if he chooses to do so and is competent, he rarely 
makes it his sole object. When, however, called upon professionally, he 
will undertake investigations in economic geology, and, 'when so engaged, 
he is entitled to the same substantial consideration as is given the profes- 
sional experts in other fields of applied science, such as civil, mechanical 
or electrical engineering. Here is a difference which the public fails to 
understand : In pure science the worker is free to give to the world the 
truths gleaned from Nature ; but, when the domain cf applied science is 
entered, the information sought becomes a matter of sale, and should be 
paid for as any other commodity. When the commercial world desires 
special investigations, as in chemistry, physics, geology, botany, etc., for 
the purpose of financial gain, then the years of study and training, the 
experience of the Man of Science, must be recognized as capital, and as 
such should have an "earning capacity.” There is no injustice in this; 
surely intellectual possessions are the most valuable of all possessions, and 
ought they to be reckoned of less worth than stocks and bonds, ware- 
houses, machiuery and goods ! This the public must concede. 
