Editorial Comment. 183 
scientific member on the board, resigned on the spot, and as 
yet the governor has not been able to induce any self-respect- 
ing scientific man in the state to accept the appointment to 
the vacancy. Gov. Stevens, who is president of the board ex- 
otticio, appointed as his associates a driver of a sprinkling 
cart, a "ward heeler"' from one of the large cities, a member 
of a "loan'" office, and Prof. Shepard who belonged to the pre- 
vious board, and who resigned as soon as the dastardl}^ action 
of the other members was carried out. This explains the in- 
appreciation which was manifested of scientific, educational 
and practical geology. It is so ridiculous and at tlie same 
time so nearly a criminal act, thatitis difficult to comprehend 
how any governor of a great State could be led into it. He 
jeopardizes the material interests of a great and enlightened 
commonwealth, for the personal greed that lurks in political 
intrigue and ambition. Of all the instances of robbery of this 
kind of which the country has any knowledge, this is one of 
the most flagrant and inexcusable. The transaction which re- 
moves Dr. Kej'es from his position is of small consequence tf) 
him. and his interests are not here considered. That which 
we lament, and which we protest against vigorouslj^ and with 
all the vehemence of which we are capable, is the wanton i)ros- 
titution of the good of the people, as centered in the geologi- 
cal survey of the state, to the petty, personal politics of the 
hour. We have called it robbery. It is worse than open rob- 
bery, because that is crime, and is punishable, but this act 
goes forth as justifiable, and is unpunishable. It is a biise be- 
trayal, as well as robbery. It is treachery, robber}'^, decep- 
tion, malfeasance and wilful plunder, (-loaked under the pre- 
tended administration of hiw. 
There is a defect in many of the state laws tiiat establish 
such surveys. The extreme of this defect is exemi)lihed in 
Indiana, where the state geologist is nominated bj' the politi- 
cians and is elected yeiirly by the successful party. More 
moderately this defect is felt in such instances as in Illinois 
and Kentucky, where the geologist is subject to appointment 
and removal after each change in the political phase of the 
State at the will of the new governor, and its slowest results 
are seen in such cases as in Missouri where the governor lias 
the power to re-form, after each election, the board of control, 
