Looking at
this undoubted fact, which has asserted itself through so long a
period, and which asserts itself today more strongly than ever,
the writer conceives that there can be no question as to one
proposition. If we aim at the single object of promoting the
advance of knowledge in the most effective way, and making our own
country the leading one in research, our efforts should be
directed towards bringing together as many scientific workers as
possible at a single centre, where they can profit in the highest
degree by mutual help, support, and sympathy.
In thus strongly setting forth what must seem an indisputable
conclusion, the writer does not deny that there are drawbacks to
such a policy, as there are to every policy that can be devised
aiming at a good result. Nature offers to society no good that she
does not accompany by a greater or less measure of evil The only
question is whether the good outweighs the evil. In the present
case, the seeming evil, whether real or not, is that of
centralization. A policy tending in this direction is held to be
contrary to the best interests of science in quarters entitled to
so much respect that we must inquire into the soundness of the
objection.
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