Elephant pipes and inscribed tablets in the Museum of the Academy of natural sciences, Daveport, Iowa / by Charles E. Putnam.

  • Charles Edwin Putnam
Date:
1885
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Elephant pipes and inscribed tablets in the Museum of the Academy of natural sciences, Daveport, Iowa / by Charles E. Putnam. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    tions throughout the country, while its enmity will prove doubly disad- vantageous in consequence of the high esteem in which it is deservedly held abroad. Thus far the history of the Davenport Academy has been one of successes. It has encountered obstacles, but these have been successfully surmounted; and it has made for itself a reputation for energy, industry, and thoroughly scientific merit — such a reputa- tion as is not easily tarnished. I am therefore sorry that it was not deemed best by the members of the Academy to either ignore the mis- takes and supposed personal thrusts contained in the Second Ethno- logic Annual, or, at most, to respond to them through the columns of some scientific journal in a judicial, dispassionate rejoinder of a page or two. Please understand that in thus expressing my feelings I express the sentiments of a firm friend of the Academy and a citizen of the State. My feelings are also, perhaps, determined, to some extent, by my prin- ciples in regard to the ethics of science. I maintain that in scientific work the ego should be forgotten, that scientific credit is an idle fig- ment, and that individual names should appear only as a means of fixing responsibility. I realize that identical views were probably pre- sented by some of your members in the discussions relating to the matter, and that your course was decided upon by consense among members and friends of the Academy; and I do not criticise your course, but rather, as I have already intimated, express the feelings of one of the members of the Academy. Now that the pamphlet has been published, and it is proposed by the Academy to distribute it as widely as possible, I am quite willing to do my share. I should like, therefore, to have you forward me two or three additional copies. At least two gentlemen who are interested in the matter, knowing that I have some connection with the Davenport Academy, have applied to me for copies. I should like to be able to meet such recpiests in the future. Please convey my kindest regards to your family, particularly Mrs. Putnam, to whom I am dee])ly indebted. My debt to her shall, how- ever, be partly repaid within a few days. With best wishes for the Academy, I beg to remain Sincerely yours, W. J. McGee, Geologist. l^AVENPORT, Iowa, April ii, 1885. W. J. McGee, Geologist., Department of the Interior., United States Geo- logical Survey., Washington, D. C.,— My Dear Sir: Your valued favor of the 8th instant was received this morning. From your emphatic condemnation, during your last visit here, of the “careless statements” of Mr. Henshaw, we relied upon your su]3port, and hence the tone of your letter was (piite a surj^rise. However, we all feel that it would, after all, be quite unreasonable in us to expect more in view of your i)resent environments. We note with entire good nature your strictures upon the style and manner of our vindication. Our action, however, v. as well considered,