New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-20
FIRST TRUTHS.

paper read by Horace Greeley before the Social Science
Association Albany, Feb. H.
The most urgent public need of to-day is the care
full preparation and cheap publication of series of
larger Tracts embodying all that is known beyond
DISPUTE. in the domain of Natural Intellectual and
Moral Science.
These Tracts should be concise but comprehensive
treatses on distinct topics of practical consequence,
each covering from 80 to o. pages, printed in large
fair tyne. on good white paper, and sold at five to
ten cents each.
Among the topics most urgently demanding treat
ment. would suggest the following:
/ VENrILATION.-The Tract on this subject should
explain the nature of Respiration its organs, their
uses and their perils; and should show how and why
pure ar, when inhaled, conduces to health. vgOr
strength, activity, longevity; while impure air duly
deined Is necessarily injurious usually perous, and
often fatal. Practical recommendations for lmproy
ing the ventilation of all premises fit TO be inhabited
and warnings against malariOus regions pestent
exhalations nOXiOus vapOrs sitting bedrooms, and
poisonous holds cabins, fOrecastles cars ana other
nurseries of fever and contagion, should conclude
the Tract.
2. SEXUAL MoRAuTY; what are its requirements
and their sanctions what its violations and their
fearful penalties. This should be especially adj
dressed to children and youth and in time supeTse
ded by two more addressed respectively to persons
OF different ages and sexes.
g. HABITATIoNs: How to choose fit location and
how TO overcome or greatly modify the injurious
effects of bad one The best plans for dwellings of
the simplest and cheapest construction should be
given, with estimates of cost and suggestions for
drainage, light air, prospect, &c. &c. The baneful
effects of dampness, shade. sunken location, &c,
should be carefully indicated.
estimate that our people are building more than
100000 dwellings per annum at an annual cost OF
over $l000000O0, and that our deaths are at least
100000 more per annum than they would be if our
habitatiOns had been properly placed constructed,
ventilated at no greater than their actual cost A
dime tract embodying the most that could be iltly
suggested on this theme would be generally bought
by those about to build TenOvate habtations and
would save millions of dollars and thousands OF lives
T. HEALTH: What it is and what are its most for
midabe enemies; how il is to be preserved, and how
APART from medicaiOn heTedited or contracted evils
may be resisted and overcome or modified by ceanll-
ness temperance, exercise and fit surroundings
8. FooD: What is and what is not properly edible
and how the two classes are distinguished; the 1unc
ton of food the laws governing its reception ana
use; the purposes of cooking and the modes IN winch
bad food and bad cooking impair the health and
strength damage the temper and morals and destroy
the lives of our people. 49,
But need not pursue these illustrations, since
five will serve well as fifty. do not suppose the
range of topics demanding popular exposition and
calculation would ever be exhausted; but would
be in no hurry to diversity the topics discussed If
four new tracts were issued each year IT ~ quite
likely that their aggregate value would exceed that
of twenty issued in like period.
Each tract should be prepared by the most com
petent and best qualified person who could be in
duced to undertake it-shOuld make no pretensions
TO originality or novelty, but should be simply con-
and established beyond reasonable question Brll-
liancy of style should not be regarded, though at
tTactveness to sober minds would add TO the prac-
teal value of any treatise. When completed by the
author it should be subjected 10 competent COM
mittee for criticism aud revision, but no change
should be made but with the authors full assent.
III he and the committee cannot fully agree, let ITS
publication be deferred till the truth shall be made
manifest.
The ordinary machinery of Advertising News
Agents Expresses and Mails, would largely fCcllltate
the distribution of these tracts; but the issuing
Society should have branches, wherever they can be
formed, each supplied with the tracts at cost ana IN
tent on giving them the widest and most general
circulation. Sets could and would BIO bound III
volume or volumes for preservation and future use;
estimate that tracts Of 81 large pages might DO
sold in large quantities at four cents ana retained al
five cents each those of CT pages at double these
rates and that the number of copies bought ana read
would be counted by hundreds of thousands, pro
vded the treatses were as they should be, OF the
very highest merit. "
could realize this idea He would at once be eX-
posed to competition and detraction. and would he
tempted TO issue too hastily and without thorough
scrutiny by competent board Besides, these tracts
should he so issued to preclude the idea OF pecu
mary advantage TO the lssuerS.
The Society should instantly correct any errors IN
one of its published tracts which the progress OF
scientific research and discovery should suggest anu
should be prepared TO embody in its tracts any new
truth that may from time TO time he discovered
do not suggest that the publication OF such
series is within the proper scope OF TINS AssOca-
ton. / do not ask the Association even TO consider
whether 1t may not be- / only improve this oppor-
tunty to urge that there ought TO be Society even
though one should have TO be organized on purpose
TO provide and difluse such summaries for popular
use Of Elementary, Physical, and Moral Truth, ana
that its existence and operations would surely ana
sgnally cOnduce to the diffusion Of knowledge NlT
tue and Happiness-in other words, TO the advance
ment of Social Science.