The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-06-30
STATE CAPITOL AT MADISON.


mt Of poets and modestly claims to be
the most moral state capital in the I'm
Ion. However, that will be of very little
consequence to the scientists.
The association In the 43 years Of its
existence has met in Washington and at
many other capitals, and as it is now
established among the noted bodies of
the learned world and the opportunity
to visit the Worlds fair counts for much
it is expected that many hundred
savants from both Americas and Europe
win be present. Of course the papers
read on special subjects will be dry to
most people, but in their hours of re-
Taxation the learned men will see deal
Of fun. They are capable of doing it
justice too Their sessions at Indian
opolis in 1890 were diversified with visits
to cities in the natural gas region, and
their meeting at Washington in 1891
gave the city almost as much entertain
ment as stormy week in congress.
Professor Joseph LIE Conte, retiring
president, is credited as delegate to
California, but he now belongs to the
whole nation If not to the world. His
geology is the standard textbook in
American colleges and high schools, and
he is also an authority on optics, physi-
ology and other branches of science and
has devoted much study to aerial navi-
cation and other abstruse and disputed
subjects. He is at present professor of
geology in the University of California.
The working man of the organization,
however, is Professor Frederick Ward
Putnam, who has been permanent secre-
tary of the association for many years
and scientist from the time he put on
boys clothes. In truth, he was sort of
infant prodigy in that line, and his
achievements were SO remarkable that
at the age of is he was admitted to mem
bership in the Essex (Mass) institute
and only a year later was chosen it's
curator Of ornithology and keeper of its
cabinet. One year later he entered the
Lawrence Scientific school, where Pro-
fessor Louis Agassiz was SO pleased with
his zeal and progress that he put him in
charge of the collection of fishes at Har-
ward, where he remained until 1869.
Born at Salem, Mass, April 16, 1889, it
is scarcely an exaggeration to say that
he has devoted 80 years to science, for he
began original researches as soon as he
was old enough to ramble in the woods
and fields. He is now in charge of the
anthropological department. at the
Worlds fair.
Another working organizer is Pro-
fessor Fl. W. Hardness of Washington,
who is president for the year, but COM
pleted list of the scientists who are to
take part in the discussion would be too
long. The association is divided into
eight sections. each having speciality
so far as preparation goes, but the whole
body convenes to hear the principal pa
pers read. The working membership COM
prises about 1900 persons, and among
the subjects for discussion at Madison
will be the practical suggestions hereto
fore made--viz:
/. To apply to congress for reduction of
tariff on scientific books and apparatus,
to memoriahze congress to provide for
preserving archaologic monuments on
the public lands. to devise accurate and
uniform methods of water analysis, for
the preservation Of timber lands and
generally for the better protection of
the public health, 1t is matter for con-