t nothing more was heard of the criticisms.

The second great work of the academy for the government was that
of devising a forestry system for the United States. The immediate
occasion for action in this direction was stated by Secretary Hoke
Smith to be the "inadequacy and confusion of existing laws relating
to the public timber lands and consequent absence of an intelligent
policy in their administration, resulting in such conditions as may,
if not speedily stopped, prevent the proper development of a large
part of our country."

Even more than in the case of the Geological Survey might this
work seem to be one of administration rather than of science.
But granting that such was the case, the academy commanded great
advantages in taking up the subject. The commission which it formed
devoted more than a year to the study, not only of the conditions
in our own country, but of the various policies adopted by foreign
countries, especially Germany, and their results. As in the case
of the Geological Survey, a radically new and very complete system
of forestry administration was proposed. Interests having other
objects than the public good were as completely ignored as they had
been before.

The soundness of the conclusions reached by the Academy Commission
were challenged by men wielding great political power in their
respective States. For a time it was feared that the academy would
suffer rather than gain in public opinion by the report it had made.
But the moral force behind it was such that, in the long run, some of
the severest critics saw their error, and a plan was adopted which,
though differing in many details from that proposed, was, in the main,
based on the conclusion of the commission. The Interior department,
the Geological Survey, and the Department of Agriculture all have
their part in the work.

Notwithstanding these signal demonstrations of the valuable service
which the academy may render to the government, the latter has done
nothing for it. The immediate influence of the leading scientific men
in public affairs has perhaps been diminished as much in one direction
as it has been increased in another by the official character of
the organization. The very fact that the members of the academy
belong to a body which is, officially, the scientific adviser of
the government, prevents them from coming forward to exercise that
individual influence which they might exercise were no such body
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