Geography in the United States. — Davis. 165 
gates had been asked from the various geological, botanical, 
zoological, and historical societies, for all these societies con- 
tain among their members persons'of a certain amount of geo- 
graphical knowledge and of a sufficient executive ability. Tht 
same would be true had delegates been invited from the Boone 
and Crocket Club, a choice organization of sportsmen, for all 
such clubs have men of undoubted ability in the way of or- 
ganization among their members, and are largely concerned 
with matters of geographical location and distribution in their 
activities. Nevertheless neither the sporting nor the outing 
clubs are essentially cr characteristically geographical in their 
objects. Do not, however, understand me to object to the ac- 
ceptance of delegates from the above-named clubs as members 
of the committee on management of the International Geo- 
graphical Congress. I approve of the plan heartily ; for in 
the absence of geographical societies in many parts of our 
country there was no other plan so appropriate. The matter 
is mentioned here only to show the straits to which geograph- 
ers are reduced in attempting to give a national welcome to 
an international geographical congress ; the difficulty, so far as 
it is a difficulty, arises from the absence among us of a body 
of mature geographical experts, united in an advanced ac- 
quaintance with some large part of a well-defined science. This 
condition of things seems to me unsatisfactory. The absence 
of a strong society of geographical experts indicates an insuffi- 
cient attention to scientific geography, and I therefore now turn 
to consider the direction in which serious efforts may be most 
profitably made toward a better "condition of things. Let it be 
understood, however, that no quick-acting remedy is possible, 
for the reason that rrtany of those concerned with the problem 
— namely, the advance of scientific geography — do not seem to 
recognize that the existing state of things needs a remedy. It 
is therefore only as a change of heart- — a scientific change of 
the geographic heart — makes itself felt that much can be ac- 
complished toward the development of scientific geography, 
and such a* change is notoriously of slow accomplishment. 
Progress is apparent, however, and from progress we may 
gather encouragement. In what direction, then, shall our 
further efforts be turned? 
