New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-27
SOCIAL SCIENCE.
MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION.

sPoFFoRD ON THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES OF
THE UNITED STATES.
The American Social Science Association, es-
tabshed in 1865 and having for its object the scientific
discussion and practical treatment Of all questions re-
latlDg 10 education, public health economy, and urspru
dence, commenced It's eighth general meeting yesterday
and will continue It's sessions to-day and tomorrow, as
sembliDg twice daily at and p. in the ectureroom
OF the Historical Society, at the Of secondave
and Eleventhst About 100 persons gathered the ap
pointed hour yesterday afternoon and Professor j. g.
Newberry Of Columbia College introduced the President
Of the Association Dr. Samuel Eliot Of Boston, who was
greeted with applause, and proceeded TO deliver the
OPENING ADDRESS.
In opening this meeting my first thought runs back two
years ago to the first meeting which this Association held
in this city, and glad to at the outset that since
then the Association has made such progress to
it's ness for the work which has undertaken 1t has
not only grown much stronger In point Of numbers but
has laid out and in part performed work which entities
to the credit Of having at least done something In the
of social science Much Of what has been done has
been very quietly accomplished and something OF the
OF doubt II not Of reproach has been cast upon
the Association IN consequence IL has been said that
which are common TO the great bulk OF cOuntrymen
and country and falls back within the intreneh
ments of scientific minority thus tending 70 repel the
sympathies Of the nation. Nothing could BIO more I'M
founded for this Association, which bears on IT'S very
forefront the American name has been organized Tor
America In the first place, and II not for America
in the second or the last place 10 is only be.
knows no national restriction The sympathy which the
active members OF the Association feel for the national
not for me to Undertake anew the definition Of
social science phrase that has been defined often
that our Association deyotes itself TO social science rs
because that science social and aims to promote the
progress happiness purity and truth OF society ana
second, because 1t science and would achieve these
results IL scientific hGS and N 9SedePSS z as feSs
bases all It's efforts upon method upon prena-
ration upon knowledge upon something melting LIKE IKE
which 1t attempts to deal Progress without preparation
see In our waking hours 1t is impossible product
wine without grapes would be. and spontaneous change
make any progress in improving society involves tho
very largest efforts Of scientific thought culture and
action. one might well attempt ~ raise tree by
casting leaf upon the ground as seek without prepare
ton 70 embelish or expand that FAR more complex
growth which springs FROM roots centuries deep spreads
In branches centuries broad, and calls itself society;
The ION to Richmond" cry Is very often met Dy Bun
zation and inquiry il would promote tho welbeing
OF this nation Is palmer to-day than u ever was before
then TO act out what have thought and thusto doas
well TO think and to say" something worth the
compsh this end, the better Accordingly the const-
tuition provides for an executive committee whose
interests of the Association This committee consists
Of three officers by title-President. Secretary and
and Of ten more who hold their office by election all
being chosen from the neghborhood Of the headquarters
OF the Association In order that they may the more
easily meet and give their time 10 its work The four
Department Commttees-Eduoation on Health, Finance
and Jurisprudeneeare, In my opinion, the most I'M
portant and salient feature in our organization These
Committees consist solely OF persons VINO nave devoted
Within their respective departments Thus, educa
ton the Committee composed exclusively OF men ana
who have given themselves either IN theory orln
practice to the educational work, and whose opinions
upon educational questions are entitled to the highest
credit Each department sthus placed under the super
vision of a small body Of persons especially fitted by long
previous stady and In many by the practice OF
them There are also local committees, Of which, thus
far only two have been established one In Albany ana
one I'm NewYoTk, although there Will soon De another
at Philadelphia, and a fourth at New-Hayen.
one chief function Of the Association TO bring men to-
gether The great classes OF earnest workers. those
10 whom ends are everything and those 10 whom means
are everything may be recOnced Ia such an organization
their Individuality but TO make their separate Impulses
converge toward common object panpnlet concern
be Issued Immediately as contribution 70 unlyersly
education in the United States. Another pamphlet
year. containing simple body Of rules for the organza
to1 and adminlstrato1 OF public Libraries together
adapted for general use, particularly in com
munteS NOW without ,oaw PSSho non mor ISc
ne x number of Journal of the Association contain
ing papers read at this meeting with other articles upon
fully occupied with carrying various other projects INTO
execution particularly the preparation OF a hand
the ISSA design IS5 ' Of aiding them IN finding
suitable occupations and settlements. More I'M
reform of the Civil and Foreign Service for which this
body has already done something and for which hopes
70 do something more identifying Itself as far ms possible
with a cause on which not only the political, bat the
social and moral, welfare OF our people may De sad 10
depend For these aud other purposes the AssocauOn
needs TO enlarge ne borders snu tnHs ro snis
may be the immediate result Oh the preseh6
meeting is O cOnsummatlon deyouty 70 be wished:
our expenses are the smallest have but one saared
officer we have office expenses except OF the com
ghtest reduction directly into the channels OF public
benehcence And there let greater and fuller streams DO
there currents flow deeply and noselessy;
lar and WIDE untl the country and the human race may
look back TO gathering here and say that we ala not
meet In vain. iAppauseI
paper on Industrial Schools came next on the pro.
eramme but as the author. Prof. Gilman of Yale Col
ege was unavodaby detained by the fatal illness Of his
wife, the Rev. Z. C. Wines read in Its place valuable
paper by
THE HON. II. L. DAWES ON PROCEDURE IN CONTESTED
ELECTION CASES. .
The paralyzing weakness OF the upon this subject
IS the constitutional inability TO enforce them. The
House OF Representatives for the time being, may set
them aside at Its pleasure whole in part This was
by s framers and all that they hoped to
accomplish by II to demonstrate Its utility that IL
would be adhered to wise rule aud In the strength
of years and OF usage, IL would gradually acquire the
sanction and force Of law. For time after It's enact
ment II governed all rs law, sometimes Win ap
parent hardship to individuals, and the idea that It
could be dispensed with was slow in getting foothod
But in few cases at FIRST and moro generally OF late in
the troubled times through which the nation has passed.
tb with other usagos modes Of procedure has given
ay TO convenience and necessity, and sometimes TO
party requirements The Committee of Elections feeling
more sensiby than others the necessity Of uniform rule,
at first resisted all demands to break down, and when
ever compelled to yield sought to put upon the record
some controlling for the departure But convent
ence alone has come at last to be deemed sufficient
reason for dlsregardlng It, and 1t s considered hardly
worth while 20 nut even this excuse upon the record
he COMMITTEES OF Elections the last 10 disobey IL, has
re0uIromens 10 20 out itself Of the districts
where the contests exst aud there forgetting that they
should be done in advance by the parties themselves
and laid before them for Judgment The consequences
Of this loose and underlined method are not slow 10 ul
o.. A NJ IA