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The duty weighs heavier upon us, it weighs alone upon us, it is our own history, the study of our own prehistoric people, the investigation of our own country, and as such the duty rests solely upon us.

The Smithsonian Institution and National Museum stand as beacon lights to the American people in respect to science.  They are the great representative scientific institutions of our country.  In this regard they represent the United States government, they stand for it, they speak for it.  They have the ear of its executive and of its legislatures, and they exercise an influence with the government not possessed by private individuals or organizations, and, therefore, a certain responsibility rests upon them for which they must be responsible whether they will or not.

As a means of correcting the defect mentioned, I would respectfully suggest the giving of greater attention to the dissemination of information