under his supervision, at such salary as they may determine, not to exceed $1400; and in that event the salary of the secretary shall be $100. A committee to memorialize the legislature to make an appropriation consonant with the needs of the Society and to secure such other legislation as seemed best, was made up of the following persons: S. B. Pound, J. H. Broady, N. S. Harwood, A. J. Sawyer, D. A. Campbell, H. T. Clarke, and H. W. Caldwell.

The secretary was authorized to have the unbound copies of Volume II. bound.

Also on motion of Rev. E. H. Chapin, he was authorized to make such a classifieation of the books belonging to the Society, at the time of removal into the new building as was required, and to contract the necessary expense therefor. On motion of H. T. Clarke, the secretary was authorized to employ the necessary help for removing into the new building, and to procure and to have built such shelving and cases as may in his judgment be necessary for the proper classification and display of the Society's books and curiosities. Hon. A. J. Sawyer introduced resolutions which were adopted by a rising vote, in favor of J. Sterling Morton for Secretary of Agriculture in President Cleveland's cabinet.

Adjourned.

J. STERLING MORTON, President.

H. W. CALDWELL, Secretary.

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE NE

BRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

JANUARY 10, 1893.

To the State Historical Society:

I have the honor as your secretary to submit the following report, containing a review of the work of the year just ending, and some suggestions in regard to the needs and future policy of the Society.

Since your present secretary took charge of the office, Volumes III. and IV. of the Transactions and Reports of the Society have been edited and published. To Professor Howard and to Hon. R. W. Furnas is due much of the credit for collecting the material that has been used. These volumes have been received with many marks of favor both at home and at the hands of other Societies. They have been distributed among the members of the Society, and have been used in securing exchanges from other Societies. The matter for Volume V. is now being collected and edited with the expectation that it may be published and issued before July 1, 1893. Volume III. was printed by Hammond Bros. at a cost of $1.25 per page. The total cost of this volume was about $460.00. Volume IV. was published by the State Journal Company at a page cost of $1.35. The total cost of the volume was $484.80. The two volumes have cost about $950.00, leaving a balance of nearly or quite $550, at the present time in the hands of the treasurer. Volume V. will not cost to exceed $450.00, thus leaving a balance of $100.00 unexpended out of the fund appropriated for publishing. The secretary suggests that this sum be used in binding Vol

ume II. The bound numbers are exhausted, but several hundred unbound copies are in the possession of the secretary. If the Association approves of this plan, the secretary will see if the board will interpret "publishing" to include "binding."

Immediately upon assuming the office, the secretary began collecting the papers of the State, securing the same by donation from the publishers. It was soon seen that our present quarters were too small to accommodate many, so only about forty-five papers are being received and filed. It is believed that this work may easily be extended as soon as the Society is in its new quarters, so as to include all, or nearly all, the papers of the State. Kansas files all its papers with the State Historical Society, and many papers do not keep a file even for themselves, but rely upon the Society to do this work for them. The present convenience and the future value of such a collection is self-evident and needs no proof at my hands. These newspapers should be bound from time to time in good, strong, plain covers. The cost will be small if properly managed. How this work is to be handled in the future, is one of the problems before the Society. The Society library rooms have been kept open to the public about half of every week during the past year. The number of visitors has not been large, but it is a constantly growing quantity. I have no doubt that it will be largely used as soon as we are in our new quarters, where it will be more accessible to the public.

The library now contains 5,032 numbers, an increase since our last meeting of 427. These have all been obtained by way of exchange, and no money has been paid out in purchasing books. In this connection I wish to suggest that the Society secure the passage of a law, authorizing the deposit of from fifty to one hundred copies of all State reports, court proceedings, and, in fact, of every publication made by authority of the State, with the State Historical Society, to be ueed in exchange with

States. In this way, at very slight expense to the State. the Historical Society could collect like documents from the other States of the Union and from abroad. In a very few years an almost invaluable library could thus be built up. For further action, I leave the matter with the Society.

In regard to the immediate needs of the Society, I wish to call your attention to the following points:

(1). The Society must make arrangements to shelve the new rooms in the Library building. Also cases will need to be planned for and made in which to place the curios already in our possession, and in which to store those to come to us, from Mrs. Gen. Crook, and from others who may make presents to us in the future. The State University has offered the Historical Society free rooms, and agrees to heat, light, and janitor them without expense. Now it certainly becomes the Society to put its material in good and accessible shape. Shelving and cases must be provided immediately, as the cases we have are not fitted for all uses, and are already overcrowded at the best.

(2). The securing, arranging, filing, and binding of the State newspapers will require much labor, and if it is to be done successfully, will require more help than is at the Society's command. Also, the Society must make provision for removing to its new quarters. In making the transfer, the books ought to be rearranged and properly classified, This means much extra labor for someone. Of course the books may be simply removed as they are, if it is absolutely necessary; but it ought not to be necessary.

Now some of the problems are before us: the solution I leave to you, with a suggestion thrown in at a later point in the report.

I have had a few statistics collected showing what some of our neighboring States are doing in this work. The

table of results is attached, but I beg leave to call your especial attention to some of them:

I have made a careful estimate of the amount the Society ought to have for the next biennium, in order to develop as rapidly as the possibilities will permit. The figures I have reduced to the least amount that ought to be given:

.$1,000

1,500

Shelving and cases...

Publishing and binding.

General expenses-Freight, expressage, collecting material, postage, etc. 1,000 Salaries (per year, $1,500)..

3,000

Total....

.$6,500

It will be noticed that this asks for only a fraction of the amount given in our neighboring States. If we are to keep in the procession at all, we must be willing to pay for it.

Finally, my suggestion as a solution of the problems before us is to get the above amounts from the legislalature, then to increase the salary of the secretary to $1,500 per year, and elect some one to the office who is willing to give his whole time to the work.

If the Society feels that it is unsafe to make the change at this meeting, for fear of failure in securing funds, and if it wishes me to continue the work for the present under existing arrangements, I will do the best I can for a short time longer; but I shall wish to be relieved of the work in the near future.

Professor Howard sends thanks to the Society for its kind resolutions. Respectfully submitted,

H. W. CALDWELL, Secretary.