This section is from the book "Scientific American Reference Book. A Manual for the Office, Household and Shop", by Albert A. Hopkins, A. Russell Bond. Also available from Amazon: Scientific American Reference Book.
The Bureau of Immigration is charged with the administration of the laws relating to immigration and of the Chinese exclusion laws. It supervises all expenditures under the appropriations for "Expenses of regulating immigration" and the "Enforcement of the Chinese exclusion act." It causes alleged violations of the immigration, Chinese exclusion, and alien contract-labor laws to be investigated, and when prosecution is deemed advisable submits evidence for that purpose to the proper United States district attorney.
The functions of the Bureau of Standards are as follows: The custody of the standards; the comparison of the standards used in scientific investigations, engineering, manufacturing, commerce, and educational institutions with the standards adopted or recognized by the Government; the construction, when necessary, of standards, their multiples and subdivisions; the testing and calibration of standard measuring apparatus; the solution of problems which arise in connection with standards; the determination of physical constants and properties of materials, when such data are of great importance to scientific or manufacturing interests and are not to be obtained of sufficient accuracy elsewhere. The Bureau is authorized to exercise its functions for the Government of the United States, for any State or municipal government within the United States, or for any scientific society, educational institution, firm, corporation, or individual within the United States engaged in manufacturing or other pursuits requiring the use of standards or standard measuring instruments. For all comparisons, calibrations, tests, or investigations, except those performed for the Government of the United States or State governments, a reasonable fee will be charged.
The International Bureau of the American Republics was established under the recommendation of the International American Conference in 1890 for the purpose of maintaining closer relations between the several Republics of the Western Hemisphere. It was reorganized by the International American Conference of 1901 and its scope widened by imposing many new and important duties. A prominent feature of the new arrangement was the foundation of the Columbus Memorial Library. The International Bureau corresponds, through the diplomatic representatives of the several Governments in Washington, with the executive departments of these governments, and is required to furnish such information as it possesses or can obtain to any of the Republics making requests. It is the custodian of the archives of the International American Conferences, and is especially charged with the performance of duties imposed upon it by these conferences. The International Bureau is sustained by contributions from the American Republics in proportion to their population. It publishes a monthly bulletin containing the latest official information respecting the resources, commerce, and general features of the American Republics, as well as maps and geographical sketches of these countries, which publications are considered public documents and as such are carried free in the mails of all the Republics. - Congressional Directory.
Any person may become a member of the association upon recommendation in writing by two members or fellows, and election by the council, or by the special committee of the council resident in Washington and empowered to pass upon applications whenever received.
The admission fee for members is five dollars, payable in advance. The annual dues for members and fellows are three dollars, payable in advance. The fiscal year of the association begins January 1st, and members and fellows are entitled to all publications issued, and to the privileges of all meetings held during the year for which they have paid dues.
Fellows are elected by the council from such of the members as are professionally engaged in science. The election of fellows is by ballot and a majority vote of the members of the council at a designated meeting of the council. On the election of any member as a fellow, an additional fee of two dollars shall be paid.
Any member or fellow who shall pay the sum of fifty dollars to the association, at any one time, shall become a life member, and as such shall be exempt from all further assessments, and shall be entitled to the proceedings of the association. All money thus received shall be invested as a permanent fund, the income of which, during the life of the member, shall form a part of the general fund of the association; but, after his death, shall be used only to assist in original research, unless otherwise directed by unanimous vote of the council.
Any person paying to the association the sum of one thousand dollars shall be classed as a patron, and shall be entitled to all the privileges of a member and to all its publications.
Copyright, 1904, by Munn & Co.
National Debts Of The World.
 
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