682 
EDITORIAL. 
by them. It is seldom that their delivery is required, or, at least, 
if they are justifiable, it seems to us that it is when a newly 
created institution opens for the first time its doors for the re¬ 
ception of a new and first class of students ; in other words, at 
the inauguration of a new school. Such were the circumstances 
attendant upon the one delivered by Prof. James Law, at the in¬ 
auguration of the New York State Veterinary College. 
What we have said above of the value of addresses, certainly 
does not apply to that of Prof. Law—what he writes is always val¬ 
uable ; what he reads is always useful and interesting ; what he 
permits publication of is always sure to deserve credit, to gather 
admirers, and to convince unbelievers. His address has done jus¬ 
tice to the demands of a great State like New York ; it has shown 
the necessity for the establishment of what may be called a gov¬ 
ernment institution ; it has pointed out the prospective positions 
that veterinary graduates may expect to obtain, and the services 
that they may then render to the community ; in fact he has well 
laid before his listeners the evidence that New York is still the 
great State of yore, progressive in all branches of education. 
It is, however, to be regretted that Prof. Law has seen fit at 
the beginning of his address to advance general statements of a 
very reflective nature, which are undeserved, or, at least, not ap¬ 
plicable in the case of those private undertakings which have 
been created in this country in behalf of veterinary medicine, 
especially in so far as New York State is concerned. The 
statements are erroneous and certainly unjust ; taking away, 
without exception, the credit which is due to those who have been 
pioneers in the work, which to-day only is undertaken in a thor¬ 
ough manner by the New York State Veterinary College. 
They, by honest, unselfish, and self-sacrificing devotion to the 
single purpose of building up a new science in this country, have 
made it possible to begin the work of educating young men under 
the broad and sheltering patronage of the great EmpireState. 
To say that u the founders of private schools were met at the 
threshold by the imperative questions : will the venture pay ? 
will the name of the college bring us greater or more remuner- 
