The morning times., 1895-09-22
Few People Appreciate the Work
Of the Smithsonian.
LARGE SUMS ARE DISBURSED
Even College Professors Do Not Know
of Ever Having Gained Any KnOwl-
edge From Its LabOrs-Secretary
Langley Complains of Lack of Time
for Original Research,

| half million dollars year ''for the
increase and diffusion of knowledge" among
men. The exact figures for the year
| 1S92-'93 are S447,714. The receipts for
| that year for the Smithsonian Institution
proper. were about 100000. while the
estimate for 1894 was SILL ,272. With
| the same rate OF increase all along the line
| the expenditures for last year and for the
current year may be assumed TO be CON
sderably above the half million mark. The
results shown in its publications, its
| exhibits, and its contributions to colleges
| appear small in comparison.
No other institution in America, devoted
to educational purposes, had such supply
of money in 1928, and even with all
the additions To the funds of Harvard, and
the full equipment and entrance into educa-
tional work of the University of Chicago. 1t
is doubtful If any American establishment
| for the gain and spread of knowledge has
so great money power. Certainly none that
practically asks no money return for what
| it gives, and so is not held responsible by
| its beneficiarics, spends anything like the
smallest amount named above.
ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE q.
The institution is an example ON large.
scale of the use ofpublic funds for dissent
nation of knowledge without accountability
to any except 1.-The people, through some
of their agencies, for about threc-fourths of
its income is appropriated by Congress. 1t
affords test of what use may be expected
of funds placed in the hands or men OF the
highest intellectual and moral worth with
the discretion to direct their energies to the
most benevolent of purposes.
The money is put In the hands of the
secretary and his accounts are looked over
by the executive committee of the board of
regents. Just what they do is shown by
their own words in the last report, being
that of the year 1898, which has recently
come from the press. They say:
The committee has also examined the
accounts of the several appropriations com
mitted by Congress To the Institution, and
finds that the balance hereinbefore given
corresponds to the certificates of the dis
bursting clerk of the Smithsonian Institu-
ion. whose appointment as such disbursing
officer has been accepted and his bands
approved by the Secretary of the Treasury.
After the executive committee, Con-
into the accounts. or course, considerable
attention is always given tn what has been
done with money already appropriated
vhen new appropriations are asked.
The regents of the Institution, acting
under a generous Interpretation OF Mr..
James Smithson's will, do not confine its
efforts to increase and diffuse knowledge
to the United States nor to the American
continent, but direct its energies to the
improvement of the whole human race.
In this they have the approval of Con
gress and of the people represented by
Congress.
UNKNOWN TO HALF THE WORLD.
The Smithsonian Institution, however.
has never been heard Of by two-thirds of
the worlds population. and is not known.
OF, at most, known only as a name with
vague reference to Washington and
learning, to two-thirds majority OF
the voters of this country. Half the peO-
pie of this city lave only inaccurate in
formation concerning it.
A well-to-do grocer on a principal
street who was angry when asked if he
knew about the Smithsonian was obliged
to admit that he had never seen a report
and did not know that lie had ever got
any Information from the place. He said
he had lived here fifty years, too.
There are hundreds of college professors,
even. who do not know of ever having
gained any knowledge from the work of
the Smithsonian. Yet the workers in its
pay are constantly putting forth the re-
suits of their labors in publications.
Operations are conducted in five de-
partmeDts in addition to those of the Smith
soDian proper. These are the Bureau of
International Exchanges, the Bureau of
Ethnology. the National Museum, the Astro-
physical Observator and the Geological
Park The most important work of the
Smithsonian proper has always been con-
sidered to be that of the secretary in
Secretary Langley says in his last pub
lished report:
ut appears to be an essential portion of
the oriEir.ll scheme of the government
of the institution that the secretary should
be expected to advance knowledge, wheth-
er in letters or in science, by personal
research, and resolutions of the regents
formally request the secretary to continue
his Investigations in physical science and
10 present their results for publication in
the Smithsonian Contributions. -
sCANT TIME FOR RES EARCH.
1.-THE advancement of science through
original research at the hands of those
eminent men, Henry and Baird, the for
mer secretaries of this institution, is known
to all, but though the secretary may be still
expected to personally contribute to the
advancement of science, or art, or letters,
it is certain that the increasing demands
for time for labors of administration had
greatly limited the possibility of this even
in the time of Henry, and that at the pres
eDt day administrative duties, and es-
specially those connected with the care
of Government interests, constitute bar
rier to such Investigations which is all
but impossible.
Il have never abandoned, however, the
hope 10 thus continue the tradition of the
institution and the sage of former secre.
taries by personally contributing, as far as
7 could IN tho ohsaot ctatad opA ho->