The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-05-07

WASHINGTON, May e.--Although
the railroad trust. the beef combine,
and the Standard oil trust have been
, and are under severe fire by the gov
errnent, new trust has been formed
at the national capital that viii have
not only the hearty endorsement but
the active support OF the Adminlstra-
tton. This Ia the Science Trust. Sec
rotary Charles .. Walcott, Of the
Smithsonian Institution. has copied
modern methods OF high finance, and
the Institution hereafter WIN be the
clearing house for the diffusion Of
scientific knowledge. With one bold
stroke Secretary walcott has ANAL
gamatcd the National Academy Of
Sciences and the American Associa-
tion for the advancement OF Science.
and brought them into close work.
ing partnership with the Smithsonian
Institution an their headquarters.
Members Of tne National Academy
Sciences, which held Its convention
here only last week. were invited by
Secretary walcott ito deposit their
archives and records In rooms sup
piled for the purpose, in the Smith
sonian Institution. where the secre-
tary OF the Academy can have access
to them AMI attend TO such business
as may be necessary In connection
with the AFFAIRS Of the Academy
The secretary of the American As
sociation for the advancement OF
Science was extended a similar In
vitation. II has just been announced
that Arnold Hague and DR.. l.. o.
Howard. secretary for the respective
societies, have sent in formal letters
of acceptance.
The gains that win accrue to
science through this consolidation OF
interests win be of the greatest value.
In the first place. the consolidation
win centralize the efforts OF scien-
tific men, bring them closer together
In their chosen lines Of work. and
lend to research that stimulation that
COMES of competition In addition.
by giving a fixed headquarters, saw
ants OF other countries will be attract
ed. and the interchange of ideas will
result In great good.
No better field could be found for
the establishment of this Scientific
Trust The government departments
offer unlimited opportunities for in
vestigatlon at first hand. while the
Army and Navy Medical Museum, the
National Museum. the Carnegie In
stitute, the Library of Congress, the
Botanical Gardens, and the various
noted and extensive collections of
scientific and medical books, all win
be at the command of the investi-
gators. This field will be enlarged
within the near future, when the
George Washington University attains
the goal It has In view, The Univer-
sity Is undertaking a campaign to
install itself as the representative seat
of learning of the United States.
AS the University viii devote espe-
cial attention to Its graduate depart
ment, It naturally will draw from
foreign countries great number OF
scolars of a scientific turn of mind.
Thus the University and the new
Scientific Trust will work in harmony.
At the present time the University
has collected locally Upwards of
$1SS,000, with which to purchase a
site for the erection Of suitable bat
terry of college buildings, Once the
amount needed, 100000, raised by
patriotic citizens Of the District of
Columbia, the University will appeal
to the patriotism of Americans. in
every state In the Union to provide
funds with which to establish an
adequate endowment.
Coming so soon after the incep-
ton of the University campaign the
action of Secretary Walcott almost
insures that Washington viii become
the center Of scientific Interest Of the
world,