Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-02-07
= SCIENTIFIC ResEARca.
what the Government Is Doing for tf~
Advancement Of acia.<1x

Government tends to become steadily
more costly. not only in this but in
other countries. The average cost OF
the British Government is fully fifteen
million dollars year more than it was
ten years ago. exclusive of war opera
tons. The expenditures of the United
states have increased quite as much in
the same time, although the interest
on the public debt has been largely re-
duced. But this country, at least, gets
much more for its money than it did
IN former times. The Government, for
example has become the leading agent
In gathering material for the study Of
science.
Probably there are not MANY people
VINO realize what an amount and variety
OF work is done in this direction by
means OF public funds. Many of the
departments in which this service il
performed have been long established,
while others are of comparatively re-
cent foundation. The earth, the air,
the sea and the sky are studied by
most capable experts. The Govern
ment supports Geological Survey to
examine the structure of the soil and
the rocks. The surface of the earth,
the coast-line, the tides, the coast cur.
rents and the river channels are aseer-
tanned and mapped by the Coast and
Geodetic Survey. Then there is the
weather service of the War Depart.
ment, which not only is the most per-
feet service of the kind in the world.
but is providing a mass of material for
the exact study of the science of mete.
oroiogy, which is unexampled in its
amount, in its variety and in
its accuracy. Perhaps it would
not be true to say that the
Naval Observatory at Washington does
more for astronomy than any other OBJ
servatory in the country. but its con-
tributions to knowledge have been great
and valuable. And it provides, for
navigators and astronomers, in the
Nautical Almanac, what no private in
stitution would be likely to provide, SO
costly is the work.
Another group of scientific depart
ments is that which comprises the Fish
Commission, the chronological Com.
mission and the Agricultural Depart
ment. BY these, which were estab-
lished chiefly to furnish practical in
formation for farmers and fishermen,
an immense number of most useful
scientific facts are gathered and duly
arranged. Nor should we omit a men
ton OF the Smithsonian Institution, for
although it was founded and endowed
by private funds, all its operations arc
conducted by persons who are APP
pointed by authority of the United
States Government. Medicine. too. il
under great obligations to the liberal
policy of the Government. Most i'm
portant contributions to surgery have
been made in the publication OF the
surgical records of the civil war. The
navy. too, has given and still gives
great aid in the same directions; and
the National Board of Health will, IN
time, solve many problems relating Il;
the introduction and spread of grea.
epidemic diseases.
Nor is the scientific activity of the
Government confined to such material
things rs we have named The great
scientific work of this decade is the
magnificent report on the census OF
1880. There is hardly in existence such
a body of useful and accurate in
formation in reference to any
country of the world, as is to
be found in these portly volumes.
Furthermore, the Government EMPLOYS
a Commissioner of Labor Statistics
whose duty it is to procure and present
facts concerning the condition of those
who are employed to work for wages
His work supplements that which il
done in the several States with the
same object in view, and together they
will furnish Il noble mass of material
for the social philosopher of the future
to digest.
This is but n partial list of the vari-
Gus forms in which the National Gov
eminent is aiding in the advancement
of science, though it includes all the
most important branches. There are
'Ai''0 VIM thllh lldt suCH matters are |
wholly outside of the province of the
Government. They would find it very
ditfiult to prove that the Coast Survey, |
for instance, had not been of immense
service to the country; and they would !
only be laughed at, if they were to say
that the work of the survey should be
confined strictly to mapping the coast,
and should let science alone. People !
in general will think that what has |
been done is well done, and that the |
Government might wisely even extend |
its operations in the field of science
YOUTHS Companion.