I naturally wished to
consult President Roosevelt upon the matter, and if possible to induce
the Secretary of State, Mr. John Hay, to serve as chairman, which he
readily agreed to do. With him were associated as directors my old
friend Abram S. Hewitt, Dr. Billings, William E. Dodge, Elihu Root,
Colonel Higginson, D.O. Mills, Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, and others.
When I showed President Roosevelt the list of the distinguished men
who had agreed to serve, he remarked: "You could not duplicate it." He
strongly favored the foundation, which was incorporated by an act of
Congress April 28, 1904, as follows:
To encourage in the broadest and most liberal manner
investigations, research and discovery, and the application
of knowledge to the improvement of mankind; and, in
particular, to conduct, endow and assist investigation in
any department of science, literature or art, and to this
end to cooeperate with governments, universities, colleges,
technical schools, learned societies, and individuals.
[Illustration: THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTE AT PITTSBURGH]
I was indebted to Dr. Billings as my guide, in selecting Dr. Daniel C.
Gilman as the first President. He passed away some years later. Dr.
Billings then recommended the present highly successful president, Dr.
Pages:
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347