The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-28
The Distinguished Doctor Will
Direct the Academy of
Sciences.
RESULT OF CRoCKERs DEFEAT
Complexion of the Regular Ticket
Greatly Disturbed-Dr. Hardness
to Step Down.

The California Academy of Sciences is
on the eve of very important change In
Its management and control, and the mem
bers are one and all intensely interested in
the outcome of pending events, for the
staid Institution of science is about to hold
its annual election, and, though dignified
as becomes its character, it is presently in
VOWED In campaign excitement.
The one really interesting feature OF the
campaign this year is that the academy is
prepared to break away from the tradi-
lions OF years by electing a new man for
president, and he is none other than
Professor David Starr Jordan, president of
Leland Stanford Jr. University. With
such man at the head of the academy
members solicitous of its welfare are with
out exception free to admit that new era
is at hand in the field of scientific research
and development in California. And even
more than that, not one Of them believes
there Will be opposition at the head OF the
ticket. Indeed, the oldtime opposition in
that regard is dead this year, because it
feels convinced that no stronger man than
Or. jordan could be placed at the head of
It's ticket, and consequently it would be
futile to make fight. Another reason,
toe, why it is satisfied is they are highly
pleased with DR.. Jordan for president and
the displacement of DR.. Hardness, who
has filled the presidents chair for several
years IN unbroken succession, and practi-
cally was dictator in the institution in
tended by the late James Lick to bea pop
ular scientific center where the applied
and useful sciences would be studied and
taught. instead of being an academy of
natural history on limited scale.
Or. Hardness has announced his willing
m Cta dow h. n nnto y
favor OF the eminent scientist from STAN
ford, but he desires at the same time to
retain Office in the council, and by that
medium to hold kind of supervisorial
power over the academy. This, 1t is
claimed by a member Of the opposition,
will, in all probability, provoke fight, for
the reason that many of the men inter
ested in the institution are anxious for
complete and far-reaching change Of ad-
| minlstration. But up to the present time
| no definite plan of action has been out
| lined, only an opinion being formed TO the
| effect that after the regular nominations
| are made the regular ticket, with some
minor changes, will be taken up for con-
| tiict.
Professor Davidson. who was at the head
| of the independent ticket last year, has
| stated positively that he would not accept
| a nomination on the council. He is quietly
| watching developments, feeling that things
will come his way in time; that is, that
| the academy will change in character
until it becomes what large proportion
of its mem bers desire it should bean in
stitution broad in scope and popular with
| students of science in general.
! Within the last year the academy has
SHOWN signs of renewed energy, and gath
| cred together specialists from Stanford and
| the University of California. a large num-
Der of Stanford professors have Joined,
among them being DR.. Jordan and Profess
| sors Gilbert and Loomis, while some OF
Berkeleys best men have associated them
selves with the institution. This, it is
| agreed by the present council and its sup
| porters, has elevated and strengthened the
name of the academy, and besides this
years publications are three times as large
as those of any other scientific institution
| in America, the Smithsonian Institution
alone excepted.
| Something happened very quietly in the
academy three months ago which, so some
| members say, has undone all this, how
ever. In fact what came TO pass on this
particular occasion has caused a rumpus
between the men of science and those of
business in the management that really
changed the whole complexion OF the
future.
1t brought out the vigorous protest of
Colonel G. F. Croker, and that meant an
overthrow.
At q special meeting held to consider the
amendments to the constitution two i'm
portant resolutions were voted down with
the rest. One of those was an amendment
giving the trustees power to make invest
ments or loan money outside San Fran
cisco so that a higher rate of interest might
be secured than was possible under the
constitution limiting loans to this City
and County. Another provided for noml-
mating members of the nominating COM
mittee In open meeting. Colonel Croker
was particularly anxious that these amend
ments be carried, but on motion OF Theo-
dore Hittell all proposed amendments were
tabled c. F. Croker, e. ]. Molera and
w. c. Burnett voting for them. But they
were defeated by four votes. The meeting
was kept very quiet, though many mem
bers claimed that the defeat was caused by
DR.. Hardness influence on the council and
four trustees.
AS matters stood the trustees and coun-
Gil selected nominating committee, that
in turn reciprocated by training the
same men for office, and so it happened
that for five years past the management,
headed by DIR. Hardness, has remained
practically unchanged. With one lone ex-
ception, the same set of men did the noml-
mating for five years, and they usually
appeared once a year TO make noml-
nations.
1t has been stated more than once that
the Stanford influence had much to do
with making such state of affairs pos
sible, and that Colonel Croker stood by
DR.. Hardness ali along. But the treat
ment accorded Crockers pet resolutions
turned him against the president. which
fact is fairly we'll understood on both sides,
and now he is using his power to bring
about revolution.
The nominations will be made within
week or ten days, and meanwhile con-
siderable quiet campaigning will be done
on the regular side, with view OF
reaching the desired end.