publication and circulation of scientific books and journals; the place of science in education and all external means for the advancement and diffusion of science; the direction of public opinion and legislation on science, more especially when connected with the national government, and the different states and municipalities; the promotion of conditions required by science and of reforms recommended by science—in general, whatever will promote the advancement, diffusion and usefulness of science.
1. The first of these functions has in large measure been assumed by the special societies and journals, and this is in accordance with necessary conditions. Special research must be presented before, and discussed by, small groups of experts and must be published in journals that are of interest only to specialists. The special societies have compact organizations; they are most competent to select their membership, to arrange their programs and to conduct their publications. It seems inevitable that the Association must relinquish its function of providing sections for the presentation of special papers, except in the rare case that a special society does not exist and may be formed by the aid of the Association. In a joint meeting of a special society and the corresponding section all the valuable papers will be presented both before the society and the section, and only such papers will be presented to the section alone as the society will not admit. There is, however, no reason why the present general organization should not be maintained, and the papers read before the affiliated societies be made part of the proceedings of the Association. The Association may, however, render important assistance to the special societies in the ways indicated below.
2. The promotion of research by grants of money and by providing the means for cooperation is a function that should be undertaken both by the special societies and by the general Association. The latter is, as a matter of fact, more likely to secure funds for this purpose by bequests and gifts, owing to its national character, its long history and its permanence. It can to special advantage further researches in which more than one science is concerned and in which independent societies might fail to cooperate. Efforts should be made to increase the number of patrons of the Association and to secure bequests and gifts, in order that the American Association may not be behind the British and French Associations, which appropriate annually $5,000 or more for the direct encouragement of research. Invested funds yielding an income for this purpose would add greatly to the stability, influence and usefulness of the Association, and to the interest of the meetings at which the grants are made and the reports of the work accomplished are presented.
3. The special societies may with advantage present addresses and
