New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-24
IMPORTANT PATHOLOGICAL WORK.
CHANGES IN A BILL WHICH WILL SERIOUSLY
CRIPPLE MAJOR POwELL'S RESEARCHES.

~
CRIPPLE MAJOR POWELLS RESEARCHES
Washington. Feb. % Special).-One Of the changes
made by the senate Committee on Appropriations in
the sundry Cvil bin has boon severely commented on
because Of it, evident lhcrality and open hostility
toward an important branch OF scientific work now
being conducted by the smithsonian Institution This
work comprises researches Of various kinds into Amer
lean cthuology and has been carried for number Oi
years with valuable educational results The House
voted $50 900 continue the researches # the Ethno
logical Bureau dmng the coming year, and the senate
committee has not only cut down that sTm to $4,000
but has added the provso that Of tho total appropra
tou not more than $4,000 IS 10 be expended for the
payment Of salaries and services rendered In the city OF
Washington. The amendments were adopted In com
mi;;cc it is understood chs instance Of Mr. Plumb,
whose rcpusnancc to scientific or literary advance
mont Of any sort IS well known. Major Powell the
director Of the Geographical survey, has written let
ter to senator Allison. the chairman of the ApproprS
tons Committee. protesting against the amendments
and Mr.. Allison hopes have the change rcconSidcred
in the Senate After explaining the scope and results
Of the chronological investigation OF recent years, Major
Powell says:
TO cut down the Appropriation a. recommended IS 10
cut oil t, Investigation 70 that extent III all OF us cat
And It should be Understood that this Is not 70
postpone tho inyestgatlon for what Is gathered
Dee gathered hereafter In the last few decades
all the CIVILIZED people OF the globe have become inter-
c7t,d IN Tine antiquities OF The countries winch Ih'J III
habit and they all engaged In similar reNearchcs ihe
rails being gathered by the Bureau are already OF
nootmable value and will increase IN value and interest
a, thu years 20 by.
The clause In the paragraph which limits The eApend
os salaries to $4,000 Is peculiarly unfortunate Tor
Investigations be carried on except by the en-
p.cyment skilled specialists The most important work
ia which the bureau Is engaged will almost be limited u
the expenditure Of that $4,000 for We must have I'm
gutc scholars and philologists for the woik The en-
has .ways made eNpcnd these appropriations
in the economical manner, and We haze louhu y
highly sdNantagcous and great saving OF expense To
utilize the services OF Indians coming To "ashugtoh e.
DEC ally IN the linguistic branch the Investigation.
Much OF remaining so coo, II used at ALL would
have to be- expended chiefly foi the purchase oil ac''oosc
collections by amateurs throughout the country VINO
engaged making collections largely for the purpose
OF selling them iCicgn mseLs and who do not collect
skill All the assistants OF the Bureau above
the grade OF cGpy-t and Messenger In the ned portion
Of year. and come t. Washington TO work ony when 1t
necessary prepare reports that the results OF her
may given the public and those results
oil OF the rhiVcrstes' colleges ana hgh
schools OF learning IN the United States
preparation the reports on these Investigations
have kept up the work, and valuable ana sub
results already accrued SIN quaro volumes
have been issued three more been printed and are
now IN Government Printing once being oouhu' Iiu
octave bulletins have been published three more are now
IN hands and ready TO be tfasitted 70
tile printers or the reports which are large I'm
.ra oel,o, siN have published the seventh Is In
the printers, hands and eighth and ninth are completed
ready the printer only awaiting the time when
he take thcin up
pbor l. ON hand AZ present manuscript sufficient for at
eight Grurto volumes. tho materials having been col
icca II, the rrld But all this manuscript requires edit
ING and revising by engaged in the work who have
the materials. II the restricting clause should
become law would become necessary to discharge most