New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-21
4 DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE.
THE PLAN ADVOCATED ~ ASSISTANT
SECRETARY DABNEY.

HE FAvoRs THE CONSOLIDATION OF ALL IN"
SCIENTIFIC BUREAUS OF THE GOVERNMENT
UNDER ONE EXECUTIVE HEAD.
Ipr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBvNEi
Washington Jan. a.-Chares W. Dabney. the AS
sistant Secretary Of Agriculture Is an ardent ao'o
cate OF the scheme to unite all the sc'ehtnc
bureaus of the Government In single great dc-
partment. Discussing this project he said to-o",
The United States maintains twenty -eight SCI
entihc bureaus for developing our resources ""'
advancing industry. at cost or nearly s'.
annually They employ over 5000 persons III vi.
entire country and in order TO prevent waste ana
duplication Of work should be properly organizen
and co-ordinatcd under department ihesc
bureaus are engaged IN doing all kinds or sc''"'"''
work from determining the movements OIL ''e
heavenly bodies to studying insects ana pacte',"
We have bureaus for studying the ear'h an" '
PRODUCTS the atmosphere and It's changeS' ecu
,o,ric ,lan,s and their culture. domestic animals
and their kind We have surveys for measu'i"S
the land Of the country and sounding It's "a'e''
bureaus for investigating many ecohom'o P
lens and statistical agencies Tor cohec'i"s' ~
piling and discussing the results OF many ''
,ries We have agricultural experiment stations
Cor deveIoning the products the land. ana n ris
Commission for increasing and Improving w. .e
of orr waiers Other bureaus teach us no" W
protect our forests or how to save the io''se
ro.s NJ our Western plains: still others pro-
,no,e frAii culture or teach us how 10 project o'
crops and fruits from injurious nsec's OF u
case Finally We have great museums 49,, -,
lectinc. preserving and exhibiting all ooJec'H %
ar. ,bnoloev natural history. mneralosy' seo'-
oev the resources Of our country ana the p'o'
of our peoples WORK ,rooso
90 all those agencies have common purpose
namely. the development of the resources Vi VI,
country one would expect TO ma 'he" VI
occordinp 70 some definite plan and directed ny
n
,r,,,u,od Among six different departments OF 'he
Government Two OF them being entirely hoepch"-
emf Much valuable work has been ana l. "''"s
done by them: a great deal more wou'u oo "''o''
pllshod and much money saved II all the bureaus
having this common purpose were consohha'e" J"
one department. Scattered as they now are U''o''e
all the departments. operated under very hde''',,c
laws and supervised by different secretaries usua''
not scientific mer and always overrun WIN o'h'.
work there is ample opportunity Tor con- , i
duplication OF WORK: anu has for example
three separate and distinct agencies for measuring
the land OF the country. connected Win TWO nc'
dnnarments four separate hydrographic offices Tor
sounding the waters OF bays, rivers. Iakss w. ~
icaI labora tories in the city Of Washington alone
The statistics OF the natural resources anu piyuu.s
agencies connected with six different departments
and bureaus. not counting the census wninn unu
proposal to consolidate all the statistical bureaus
and establish permahen, Ge ,a vans the work
hitherto done in haphazard way at intervals Is III
line with this plan , 80
DR. Dabney on being asked for a remedy. re-
piled: What is needed is a general coordination
OF the scientific work Of the Government. ana the
only WY 10 accomplish this Is by iirst bringing al
Of these bureaus together under one executive mead
When this has been done the reorganization would
take place naturally and easily. without injury 10
any Of the good work now going on me nrst
thing il for Congress 10 decide on general pro
gramne and. az opportunity offers. transfer the
different bureaus and surveys TO some one oil the
dcpar ncnts.
certainly no railroad. manufacturing company or
other Industrial concern could afford 10 conduct It's
2 fairs in the haphazard manner in which the GOV
eminent conducts it's scientific work. All great com
nercial associai lions have learned the value OF
thorough organize ton and systematzed work. Inc
Development of the resources OF the country ana
IN. promotion of < Industries purely matters
OF business. The success Of this work concerns
every farmer miner. manufacturer. merchant.
banker railroad company. etc. in the country. ana
they are ali Interested. therefore. in having II ehi
GENTLY and economically done. They should. there
fore he Interested in the facts and plans here
given"