Chapter C: C. Soule read the

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE ENDOWMENT FUND.

_To the Secretary of the American Library Association._

I submit herewith a report of the receipts and expenditures from the date of last report, June 6, 1900, to July 1, 1901, together with a schedule of assets, and an estimate of income for the ensuing year.

There are no donations to report. The permanent fund has been increased by the fees for three (3) life memberships, $75 in all.

In March, 1901, the mortgagor on a loan of $1000, bearing interest at six per cent., and falling due Aug. 1, 1903, asked leave to pay off the mortgage. He was allowed to do so on paying $53.97, being the difference between the six per cent. he was to have paid, up to maturity of the mortgage, and the four per cent. which the trustees can expect to get on reinvestment of the $1000 repaid. This repayment to the fund has been kept in bank until after this conference. If not needed by the Publishing Board as a loan, it can be invested at, say, four per cent. Of the $2102.18 now on deposit, subject to check, $655.04 is on interest account, available for expenditure as the Council may direct. (In addition to this, $301.03 income may be expected during the year 1901-2.) $1437.14 is on principal account to be invested as opportunity offers.

CHARLES C. SOULE,
_Treasurer A. L. A. Endowment Fund_.

ENDOWMENT FUND STATEMENT, JUNE 6, 1900-JULY 1, 1901.

_Cash account--Received._

1900, June 6. Balance on hand, $619.27
1901, March 8. Repayment of mortgage loan, 1000.00

_For permanent fund--life memberships._

1901, March 5. E. P. Thurston, $25.00
" S. H. Ranck, 25.00
June 21. B. C. Steiner, 25.00
------ $75.00

_On interest account._

1900, June 28. Interest mortgage loan, $75.00
" 29. " International Trust Co.'s deposit, 6.82
Aug. 14. " Mortgage loan, 30.00
Oct. 1. " " " 24.50
Dec. 27. " " " 75.00
1901, Jan. 14. " Brookline Savings Bank deposit, 40.80
Feb. 6. " Mortgage loan, 30.00
" " " Int. Trust Co., 6.82
March 8. " Mortgage loan, 53.79
Apr. 6. " " " 24.50
June 26. " " " 75.00
" 29. " International Trust Co. deposit, 16.48
------ 458.71
--------
$2152.98

_Paid out._

1901, Jan. 14. Interest added to deposit in Brookline
Savings Bank, $40.80
Apr. 18. Rent of safe box for securities, 10.00 50.80
--------
1901, July 1. Balance on deposit with International
Trust Co., Boston, $2102.18

_Assets._

Loan on mortgage at 7%, due Oct. 1, 1902, $700.00
" " " " 5% " Jan. 24, 1902, 3000.00
Deposit with Brookline (Mass.) Savings Bank, 4% interest 1050.80
" " International Trust Co., Boston, 2% " 2102.18
--------
$6852.98

[Of this amount $6187.94 is principal, to be left intact, $665.04 is
interest, available for use.]
Liabilities, none.
Annual expense, $10 for safe deposit box.

_Available for appropriation by the Council, 1901-1902._

Cash on hand July 1, 1901 (interest account), $665.04
Interest on $700.00 @ 7%, 49.00
" " 3000.00 @ 5%, 150.00
" " 1050.80 @ 4%, 42.03
-------
$906.07
(If no part of the principal is needed as a loan by the
Publishing Board, add also) Interest on (say) $1500.00 invested
at 4%, 60.00
------
Estimated total, $966.07

The following report of audit was appended:

At the request of Charles C. Soule, treasurer of the Endowment Fund, we have examined his accounts and securities, and find evidence of investment of $3700 in mortgage loans, of deposit of $1050.80 in the Brookline (Mass.) Savings Bank, and of $2102.18 in the International Trust Company, of Boston. We also find his accounts correctly cast, with proper vouchers for all expenditures.

JAMES L. WHITNEY, } _of the_
CHARLES K. BOLTON } _Finance Committee_

Mr. SOULE: In submitting this report, I would call the attention of the Association to the fact that the permanent fund is not as large as it ought to be. If you will remember, the attempt at collection, made with much vigor at first, had to be abandoned on account of general financial trouble through the country. No systematic effort has since been made to increase the fund. The work of the Association would be very much furthered if this fund were large enough to provide $5000 or $6000 of income, so that the Association could have two or three, or one or two, permanent paid officers, with a good allowance for travelling and incidental expenses. If any of you should be asked where an amount of say $100,000 could be placed with advantage to the general library cause, I hope you will bear in mind the inadequate funds of the Association.

The report was accepted.

In the absence of W. L. R. GIFFORD, chairman, the secretary read the

REPORT OF THE CO-OPERATION COMMITTEE.

The exhaustive report on co-operative cataloging rendered by the Co-operation Committee of last year has disposed for the present, so far as this committee is concerned, of the most important subject which has of late years been brought to its attention.

Dr. Richardson reports that the index to theological periodicals is progressing rapidly, and will probably be published before the next conference of the A. L. A. The index will cover the years 1891-1900, and will include all the standard theological periodicals, of Poole rank and upwards, in all languages of which there are representatives in American libraries, together with many references to theological articles in general periodicals, in all not less than 25,000 references. It will be an alphabetical subject index like Poole, but will differ from Poole in giving regular author-title entry, and will be more bibliographical in character through the select references to general periodicals. A feature of the index will be a very brief definition of each subject. Dr. Richardson has at present seven clerks engaged in the work, and is pushing it as fast as possible.

The dictionary of historical fiction, in preparation by the Free Library of Philadelphia, is making satisfactory progress, and will probably be issued within the coming year. Since the announcement was made at the Atlanta conference that this dictionary was in preparation there have been many inquiries concerning it, and the prospect of its publication will be welcome.

The committee has received no new information during the past year in regard to plans for bibliographical work, and it would emphasize the recommendations of previous years that all such plans be reported promptly to the committee, so that they may be published in its annual report.

WILLIAM L. R. GIFFORD, _Chairman_.

In the absence of C. H. GOULD, chairman, C. W. ANDREWS read the

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN DOCUMENTS.

The committee begs to report, with considerable confidence, that this is positively its last appearance in connection with the list of French government serials, which has been long in course of compilation and publication. This work is now in its final stage, and as it will soon be in the hands of the reviewer, to say much in regard to it at present seems hardly necessary. Two points, however, require a word:

1. Recognizing the difficulties in the way of attaining anything like completeness in an enumeration of this nature, the committee deliberately decided to omit certain documents in favor of others. Thus it happens that no reference is made to the legislative proceedings of the several Revolutionary Assemblies, nor to other publications of equal importance.

2. In addition to enumerating documents, this list indicates particular libraries where they may be consulted. It was, of course, unnecessary, even had it been possible, to mention all the libraries in the country which possess sets more or less complete. But it is hoped that the libraries chosen are so widely distributed as to save a would-be reader from undertaking a long journey when a shorter one would serve.

Such other features as call for notice will be referred to in the preface.

It would, however, be unbecoming if the committee failed now to recognize and thank Miss Adelaide R. Hasse for the pains and labor she has bestowed upon the list. She has co-operated with the committee from the first, and to her and to Mr. Andrews the committee is under special obligations.

The committee would further report that it now has on hand a considerable amount of raw material for a German list similar to the French; and it is hoped that progress may be made in arranging this during the present summer.

Respectfully submitted,
C. H. GOULD, _Chairman_.

W. I. FLETCHER read the

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON TITLE-PAGES AND INDEXES OF PERIODICAL VOLUMES.

Your committee have understood their business to be the preparation of a note to be addressed to the publishers of periodicals, setting forth the views of librarians in regard to the issue of title-pages, etc., with periodicals. They, therefore, submit as their report the accompanying draft of such a note, with the recommendation that it be sent to the publishers of all leading periodicals, and that a committee on this subject be continued, to receive and act upon any correspondence that may be called out.

THORVALD SOLBERG, }
}_Committee_.
W. I. FLETCHER, }

_Note to publishers of periodicals, as to the furnishing in proper form of title-pages and contents. This note was drawn up by a Committee of the American Library Association and was approved by the Association._

As a result of much dissatisfaction among librarians with the irregularities and uncertainties connected with the issue, by publishers of periodicals, of title-pages and "contents" of volumes, the American Library Association has had a special committee considering the subject with a view to drawing up a suitable memorial to be presented to such publishers, looking to the securing of more uniformity and propriety in this matter. After mature consideration the committee have prepared the following recommendations as embodying the minimum of improvement which may reasonably be hoped for.

1. Title-pages and tables of contents should always accompany _the number completing a volume_, and not the first number of a new volume. [They should be _stitched in, and not sent loose_.] There are several cogent reasons for this recommendation:

(_a_) In many cases it is a serious detriment to the usefulness of a set in a library, if a completed volume cannot be bound until the receipt of the next number.

(_b_) More important is the need that the numbers of a volume shall constitute the volume in its entirety, so that as they are bought and sold there shall not be the necessity of handling also another number belonging to a different volume in order to complete the first. Now that libraries are buying periodical sets and volumes in such large numbers for use with Poole's and other indexes, it is of great importance to the book trade, as well as librarians, and must have a real bearing on the business interests of the publishers, that this matter, often trifled with, shall receive due attention. Publishers must come to feel that if it is necessary (which it generally proves not to be) to delay a completing number a day or two in its issue in order to insure its completeness in this respect, the delay is abundantly compensated for.

2. Title-pages and contents should be furnished _with every copy_ of the issue of a completing number. We earnestly believe that by inserting title-pages and contents in all cases publishers will at once put a premium on the preservation and binding of their magazines, suggesting it to many who otherwise would not think of it. In the long run the demand for back numbers to make up volumes must more than compensate for the extra expense of putting in the additional leaves.

The policy of sending title-pages and contents only to those calling for them is suicidal, as it results in flooding the market with numbers from which volumes cannot be made up and by destroying the hope of making up sets weakens the demand which would otherwise exist for volumes and numbers of the periodical in question.

If an alphabetical index, in addition to a table of contents, is furnished, which is the preferable practice, the former should be paged to go at the end of the volume. When such an index is furnished, and no table of contents, the index should be printed to follow the title-page.

3. As to the form in which title-pages and contents should be issued: they should be printed on a two-, four-, or eight-leaved section, separate from other printed matter, either advertising or reading. Nothing is more important in binding volumes to stand the hard wear of our public libraries than that none of the earlier leaves in the volume shall be single leaves pasted in. One of the greatest abuses of the book trade at present is the disposition to have title and other preliminary leaves pasted in. Librarians find to their cost (what is not so obvious to the book manufacturer) that this does not work. An absolute requirement for good bookmaking is that the first and last portions of the book especially shall be good solid sections--no single leaves, nor do most librarians or owners of private libraries like to include advertisements, in order to secure these solid sections for binding. We feel sure that it is abundantly worth while for the publishers to squarely meet this demand.

4. Admitting that there may be cases in which it is practically impossible to furnish title and contents with the completing number of a volume, we would recommend for such cases that such a separate section as has been described be made and furnished with the first number of the new volume, stitched in _at its end_, not at its beginning. The last-named practice is likely to cause more trouble to librarians than any other that is common, as it is difficult to remove the section without making the number unfit to place in the reading room.

We would like to call the attention of periodical publishers to the difficulties arising from the common practice of printing some first or last leaves of reading matter on the same section with some pages of advertising. Most librarians prefer to remove the advertising leaves before binding the magazines. The practice referred to makes it necessary to bind in some advertising leaves or else take off and paste in single leaves of reading matter, sometimes three or four in one place, which is very inimical to good binding. Publishers are advised to have all advertising pages printed on separate sections if possible.

Desiring to meet, so far as possible, the views of publishers in regard to the matters referred to above, the committee will be pleased to hear from any to whom this note may come.

Mr. FLETCHER: The committee have corresponded with some of the magazine publishers, and if any are disposed to consider what is here proposed an ideal system, your attention may be called to the fact that several of our magazine publishers are carrying it out. For instance, Houghton, Mifflin & Co.--I am not mentioning them as superior to others; others might be mentioned--but in their reply to a tentative letter Houghton, Mifflin & Co. say that "in all of our publications every one of these recommendations is strictly carried out." They took pride in replying to us that they believed they were doing exactly what we wanted--and several other publishers.

G. M. JONES: I understand the report to recommend that title-pages and indexes be fastened into the last number of the volume. Now it seems that in many cases it would be very much better to have them left loose. The case is this: In almost all public libraries of any size periodicals are put into some kind of a binder. On many accounts binders which perforate are the best, but we do not wish to perforate title-page and index, if we can help it, especially the title-page, and I would like to inquire why the committee considered it so essential that the title-page and index should be fastened into the number?

Mr. FLETCHER: These questions were all considered by the committee, and I would say when I first drew up my suggestion on this point it was that title-page and index should be sent loose; but I found an overwhelming argument against that, when we came to consider that they were desired to be with every completing number; that those completing numbers are sold to the people in railroad trains and elsewhere and are coming into the second-hand periodical market, where we must look for many to make up our sets. Now as to the point which Mr. Jones has spoken of. If the magazine is to be perforated to be put in the binder, as the completing number is to have the title and index, as we proposed, in a separate section, it can be removed by undoing the stitching, or sewing, if it is sewed. That can be done before it is put into the binder. Of course there is no necessity for ruining, the stitching in its entirety. There may be some little objection there, but it is so slight that it seemed to the committee entirely counterbalanced.

Mr. JONES: Mr. Fletcher's reply is perfectly satisfactory on that point.

W. S. BISCOE: One other suggestion: Do I understand from Mr. Fletcher, if there is a table of contents, that the index be put after the title-page?

Mr. FLETCHER: No, the suggestion is that if there is an alphabetical index and a table of contents, the index should be planned and arranged at the end of the volume, but that if only an index is furnished, and no table of contents, that would be in accordance with the usual practice in such cases--the index should go, like a table of contents, after the title-page.

Mr. BISCOE: If there is no table of contents the alphabetical index is to go after the title-page? It seems to me desirable that it should always go at the end of the volume.

Mr. FLETCHER: I am very glad that point has been called attention to. I should like it if Mr. Biscoe would suggest an amendment. According to the report, when such an index is furnished, and no table of contents, the index should be printed to follow the title-page. We might say: if an alphabetical index is furnished, it should be paged to go at the end of the volume.

T. L. MONTGOMERY: Was not the committee's report to provide for the printing of the alphabetical index in the place of a table of contents, thereby making it one section?

Mr. FLETCHER: The advantage of that would be that there would be something to go with the title-page to make up the section. The title-page should be part of a section for binding as a separate section. I wonder if most of the librarians present haven't had the same exasperating experience which I have so often had with those title-pages which are separate leaves, and have to be pasted into the volume. There is hardly any practice so vicious in bookmaking as having the title-page pasted in. It almost always pulls out before the book is in any other respect at all dilapidated.

A. G. JOSEPHSON: I would suggest that the committee recommend that both a table of contents and an index should be furnished.

Mr. FLETCHER: The committee would entirely agree to that, and it could very easily be done. If an alphabetical index, in addition to the table of contents, is furnished, a practice to be preferred might be to consolidate them.

Pres. CARR: I think, Mr. Fletcher, you should be able to modify your report, before printing, to incorporate those suggestions.

F. W. FAXON: If the committee is trying to get at an ideal arrangement, it might be well to suggest that the publishers of magazines have some one who knows something about the contents make the index. We have a magazine in Boston that persists in indexing articles under "a" and "the," and proper names under "John" and "James." But if the committee is trying to get a rule that the publishers will be most likely to adopt, it seems to me they might suggest that the index be published in each concluding number of a volume, even though the index is put in place of that many pages of text. Of course it would not do to suggest that these pages be taken out of advertising, but as the text usually costs the magazine something, publishers would probably be willing to devote four of the pages they would have to pay for to an index, which would cost them much less.

Mr. FLETCHER: I think it would interest the Association to know of an example that Mrs. Fairchild sent me some time ago of the way these indexes are made. Some periodical in New York had an article on motive power for the canals, and in the index it appeared under "Mule, Must the Canal Go?"

The report was approved and referred to the Council.

In the absence of Dr. J. S. BILLINGS the secretary read the

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON "INTERNATIONAL CATALOGUE OF SCIENTIFIC
LITERATURE."

Your committee begs to report that the final conference of delegates of the various governments for the purpose of considering an International Catalogue of Scientific Literature was held in London on June 12 and 13, 1900, and, as intimated in the report of your committee last year, owing to the failure of Congress to make it possible for delegates with power to attend, no representatives of the United States were present. Mr. Herbert Putnam, Librarian of Congress, who was visiting England at the time was informally in conference with various members of the Royal Society and rendered effective service in enabling them to reach a conclusion.

The conference decided to undertake the issuing of the Catalogue provided 300 complete subscriptions were received by October 1st, the quota of the United States in this being 45. During the summer the Smithsonian Institution issued a circular to American libraries and universities and learned societies and scientific men, announcing the fact, with the very gratifying result of the subscription to the equivalent of over 70 complete sets for a period of five years.

A meeting of the International Council to finally arrange for the beginning of the work was held in London on December 12 and 13, 1900, at which the necessary financial arrangements were agreed to, the Royal Society advancing certain sums and agreeing to act as publisher, and being authorized to enter into contracts, etc. Doctor H. Foster Morley was elected director and offices were secured at 34 and 35 Southampton street, Strand, London, W. C. The initial work has begun. The preparation of a list of periodicals to be indexed and a more careful revision of the schedules was the first work to be done. Thus far the periodical lists for Germany, Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Holland, Japan, Portugal, Canada, India and Ceylon have been printed. That for the United States is expected to be ready for transmission to London about August 1st.

In the absence of any provision, the Smithsonian Institution is carrying on the work for the United States, although with very inadequate force. It would be very desirable if legislation could be had to enable the Smithsonian Institution to prosecute this work more vigorously and without drawing upon its own funds.

J. S. BILLINGS, _Chairman_.
CYRUS ADLER, _Secretary_.

Pres. CARR: Dr. Hosmer has, I think, a communication to make that is of concern to us all.

MEMORIAL TO JOHN FISKE.

Dr. HOSMER: Mr. President, and Ladies and Gentlemen:

We meet here in the midst of beautiful surroundings, but with considerable discomfort. Perhaps we hardly make it real to ourselves that this is in our country a time of calamity. Never in the course of a somewhat long experience, can I remember so many fatalities from the terrible heat of the summer. The newspapers have come to us from day to day with the list of victims from the great cities, and this morning comes in intelligence of a death which touches us librarians very closely--the death of John Fiske. He died yesterday at Gloucester, Mass., overcome by the heat; and I think it entirely right to say that in the death of John Fiske comes the extinction of the greatest force in American literature at the present moment. John Fiske, while not a member of our association, was at one time a librarian; he had a great interest in the Association; he was the personal friend of many of its members. It is perhaps quite right to say that no author at the present time is so frequently in the mouths and in the hands of the librarians. It has been thought fitting by the executive committee that we should make an exception in his case, and that there should be some formal mention of his passing. I regret very much that the time is so brief. What I have to say must be unconsidered.

In several directions, John Fiske was a great writer. First as regards the doctrine of evolution, the great idea which has come to the world in our day. What a great and solemn thing it is! The slow process through the lapse of ages from the monad to that which crawls, then to that which swims, then to that which flies, until we come at last to that which walks erect with brow expanded broadly to the light of heaven; the slow increment of intelligence in the brain, as species becomes merged in constantly higher species; the extension of infancy, with its beautiful sequence of humanity, of love, of spirituality. This has come to be accepted by scientific minds as the path which the divine energy chooses to follow in the work of creation. Now, among our American writers, I suppose there is no one who has had so much to do with the development of the doctrine of evolution as John Fiske. He was the intimate friend and counsellor of Darwin, of Huxley, of Herbert Spencer, of Tyndall. They recognized in him their peer, and if it is the case--and I believe it to be the case--that John Fiske contributed to the doctrine of evolution the idea of the "extension of infancy" as being the cause of what is most gentle and lovely in humanity he deserves to be named with the first of those who have been connected with that great theory.

In the second place as a historian, this wonderfully versatile man stands among the very first of the country. As a historian, John Fiske is not to be spoken of without discrimination. He had his limitations. I do not think that he had the power of picturesque description to the extent that Motley or Prescott possessed it. I do not think that he had the power of indefatigable research to the extent that it was possessed by our honored fellow-member, Justin Winsor. I do not think that he had the faculty of character-drawing as it was possessed for instance by the great historian, Clarendon, of the seventeenth century. But John Fiske had his gift, and it was a remarkable one. Taking a chaotic mass of facts, I know of no other American writer who had such genius to go in among them, to discern the vital links that connected one with another, to get order and system out of it, and then to present the result with a lucidity and a beauty which carried captive every reader. That was his faculty, as a historian; and he possessed it to such an extent and he used it in such a way that he is entitled to a place among our greatest historians.

Nor are these the only claims to distinction of this great man who has gone. As a religious leader, John Fiske is one of the foremost men of the time. His "Destiny of man," his "Idea of God," his latest noble address on the immortality of the soul, not yet published, are priceless writings, and men and women among the very best and brightest find in these books the best expression and guidance for their religious feelings.

Every one here has had opportunity, abundant opportunity, to know the greatness of John Fiske's mind. Few here, perhaps no other one, has had such opportunity as I have had to know the warmth and the generosity of his heart. For ten years in the Washington University, at St. Louis, we were colleagues; for 35 years we have been friends, and as I stand here before you to speak of him, my emotions fairly overcome me and I can do nothing but take my seat; but it is appropriate that in the American Library Association there should be some recognition taken of the passing from the midst of us of this great and noble figure.

Pres. CARR: After these fitting and touching words, we can hardly have it in our hearts to transact any further business this session, and therefore, if there is no objection, we will proceed to take an adjournment.

Mr. CRUNDEN: I think a fitting action, on the suggestion of Dr. Hosmer, would be the appointment of a committee, with Dr. Hosmer as chairman, to draw up memorial resolutions. I make a motion to that effect.

The motion was adopted, and a committee was appointed, of J. K. Hosmer, George Iles, and R. G. Thwaites.

Adjourned 12 m.

_THIRD SESSION._

(FOUNTAIN SPRING HOUSE, SATURDAY MORNING, JULY 6.)

The meeting was called to order by President CARR at 10.20.

In the absence of R. R. BOWKER, chairman, W. E. HENRY read the

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.

The Committee on Public Documents this year makes an exclusively negative report. The Congress was occupied so exclusively with matters of larger public policy, particularly in relation with new territorial developments, that no attention was given in either house to public documents measures. A bill was presented in the House of Representatives by Mr. Heatwole, on somewhat different lines from the Platt bill offered in the Senate last year, but like that in essential conformity with the general position taken by the American Library Association. This bill did not, however, progress beyond the introductory steps.

Within the past twelvemonth the Indiana State Library has issued its useful "Subject catalog of U. S. public documents in the Indiana State Library," as an appendix to the 23d biennial report of the state library, covering 289 pages, and presenting a useful conspectus within its field. This index, while serving helpfully as a general key for the use of other libraries through the range of documents contained in each specific library, suggests the greater importance of an adequate subject index to U. S. government publications in general, which could be made a checklist by several state and other libraries. The Indiana State Library has also prepared an index to the _Documentary Journal_ of Indiana from the beginning of that publication in 1835 to 1899, which is included in the 23d report of that library.

There is also little to report as to state publications, although there is evident a growth of interest in state bibliography, particularly in the state libraries. Part second of the bibliography of "State publications" is promised for the present year, including the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

A contribution of interest within this field has been made by the Acorn Club, of Connecticut, which has issued an elaborate bibliographical record of "Connecticut state laws," from the earliest times to 1836, compiled by A.C. Bates, librarian of the Connecticut Historical Society, a useful feature of the work being the indication, when possible, of some library in which each issue recorded may be found. Record may also be made, in this connection, of the work accomplished or accomplishing by the Public Archives Commission of the American Historical Association, headed by Prof. William McDonald, of Bowdoin College, as chairman, in which Professors Robinson, of Columbia, Caldwell, of Nebraska, Bugbee, of Texas, who are his associates on the committee, have the co-operation of representatives in the several states. While this commission does not concern itself specifically with bibliography, it is preparing the way for a better bibliography of state publications than has hitherto been possible, by investigating the conditions of the public archives of each state, with a view to inducing the systematic and more complete collection in each state of its own archives, including its printed documents as well as manuscript records.

R. R. BOWKER, }
W. E. HENRY, }_Committee._
JOHNSON BRIGHAM. }

HERBERT PUTNAM: I would suggest that the Superintendent of Documents is here, and that possibly he might have some suggestion or recommendation to make on the subject of this report.