New-York tribune., 1886-05-03
TIE SCIENTIFIC BUREAUS BILL.
TO RESTRICT THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

DIRECTOR PoWErLs CRITICISMS on THE BILL or
TIE JOINT COMMISSION.
WAsHISGTON, May "A copy of the bill re-
ported In tue House last week from the Joint Commits
sion OF Congress on tho organization OF the scientsic
bureons. by Representative Herbert restricting the
WORK of the Survey and for other PURPOSES
was sent by Senator Allison to Profe ssor J. W. Powell
Professor Powes reply. discussing the features OF the
measure In doiai has been Iad before the Commission
He says:
section first prohibits the expenditure Of "any money
col work or pubicaton except ror the
otner material All OF the work in paeontOlogy con-
Whleh sicA classification Is established the pub
Us''on nUa consists OF an exposition OF the facts
Is based The b therefore, practically provll les for
by h 1ps paeontolosio work now being proseentea
W uone prohibits its publication by the General Gov
. SUBSEQUENT clause in the same section prohibits
.he general discussion OF geologic theories" Ihc
meaning OF the woId theory in this clause is obscure
Tue Geological survey. IL used In the scientific sense
rs "a philosophical explanation Of phcnomepn. II
woud prohibit all publication OF the work OF the Geoog-
ical survey AS the clause stands. 1t prohibit
sne t.c publication Of any properly arranged geological
The next clause prohibits tho composition compila-
tIoh or preparation for pIb caton OF Mono1raphs or
bulletins or other books except annual eport which
snail embrace only the transactions or the Bureau for
Dut an the results Of those dOngs must remain unpub
lished The Director may report that he has prepared
made study OF tho rocks FOSSILS and minerals but can
0s os report re any facts or relating
thr Government or any 'teria whatever. except the
transactions or business operations OF the Survey.
The second section follows That all collections
OF minerals fossils and other material now or hereafter
TO be made bv the said survey and needed for the
current work thereof shall be deposited in the National
Museum" This simply rc-enacts the existing statute
Inc thi section provides that the result OF the work
OF the Survey shall become tho property OF the officers
and employees of the Survey. awi provides that they
NAV pnOish and copyright the same. The chief incen-
i've 10 earncsthorOugh and efficient work by honorable
scientific men consists in tae opportunity for pubica
m non ana II that be prohibited only men OF wealth can
be induced TO share in those abors OF the survey whose
results cannot be sold TO Interested parties.
Section four provides for the sale OF a such labora
tories, or other property. by the Geological
survey ~ shall be no longer needed after the passage of
is ac' Inc principal properties 10 De SOFA uhuer ts
provision would he: portion OF tho bnildihg OF the
SinthsopIan institution portion OF the building OF the
NatonaI NIuSehn portion OF the rented DniIuhg IN
va Washnston used as healqnarters and Offices py
Museum OF Yale College. such sao would
be Impossible. and the provision IL nngatory. IL
abolish the paleOntoogc laboratories Of the Geological
survey In this the bill provides for the sale of the
which belongs to the Geological survey al such prop
erty being provided by the National Maseum or the Mu-
se-tin five provides in substance that tho adminstra,
tive reports Of the scientific bureaus shall be Estimated
Tor separately. and appropriated In detail tuus maHhZ
them an exception to all other administrative reports 81
the Government aud to be published only when specihc
appropriations made therefor. Heretofore geological
surveys under State Governments AMI the General Gov
ernment have usually embraced the arous departments
OF natural history ana and anthropology but he says
the survey organized, Is by explicit statutory
provona engaged Only IN geological research ana 5ch
subjects necessarily connected Herewith III IL
cOmpo,e of nterdeprudent parts or organs every ohe
performing its functions in such manner as TO make
other efficient It would be an act o folly to
cut of some branch Of the work IL 1t s desired to
curt he operations oil the Burea IAo proper coul SO
Il reduce the appropriation and suffer the depletion to
fail upon the entire organization
Representative Herbert. OF Alabama said Tonight
that the amended bill agreed upon by the Joint Commis
sion will be reported BY him to the House. Its purpose
he states is oil paleontologic work all discussion
OF geological theories and the publication ofal bulletins
and monographs which, in the opinion OF the Commis-
sion have become expensive and To c0nne the survey
the work OF collecting material and making geolog-
zeal map. Mr. Herbert viii present his reasons for
supporting the bill in separate report In tho arSu-
nents and conclusions OF which Senator Morgan con-
curs In this paper after asserting that the Survey In
the years existence has not completed any
Of the 600 sheets OF tho forthcoming map and that tho
British survey only collects material maps formation
and complies sections. Mr.. Herbert say,i
We believe the utility of our survey would be sun
served 10y combining its operations within similar bounds
which woull exhibit existing geological conditions.
ana could prohapiy leave TO scientist, the discussion
their time and Of the general principles OF
paieOntology AMI geology.
lie arrays figures and cites authorities to show that
the United states with population. according TO the
last census OF 100000 In round numbers. expends
its Geological Survey 405 more annually than Is
expended by Britain and ireland, Austria-fiun
gary. France. Switzerland. Italy. Sweden Russia ncud
ing Poland, Belgium. Norway India. Bavaria, Wurtcm
berg. Canada Victoria Finland and Japan all together
now thstandng that these countries have population
OF "a 200 900 and OF S,2l70O0 square miles,
against only 3025 900 square miles IN the United states
This does include the cost of printing. The Geoog
ca Survey and the EthnolOgca Bureau are both under
Major Powell Mr. Herbert says:
The former OF these ha uncompeted at tho Govern
ment printing olice June 30 printing amounting TO
S2Ii $40 latter 1924 600 Ii this printing Is COM
pleed In present year. and Orlerrd, the
penditurcs for the year. counting the other amounts
already appropriated for GEOLOGICAL survey S52323o
and Ethno0gca Bureau $4,000. will De altogether
~ Of2Os0 the bureaus The sales OF the publi-
cations Geological Survey have amounted to only
@2j7 per anDum.
VITAL STATISTICS OF THE NATION.