The New York herald., 1870-06-12
SOCIAL SCIENCE.
Second Meeting Of the Western Social Science
Association-The First Days Proceedings-
Who Was Present, Where They Came
From and What They Did
Highly Interesting Papers
and Brilliant Address.

Whirling along with wonderful rapidity over the
Fort Wayne Railroad, en- route to this city, reaching
here at SIX O'Clock this morning. marvellous presto
change movement-now in New York and now in
Chicago; whlrling by broad, sweeping meadows, by
great fields of growing rye and barley and oats and
wheat and cOrn whirling through rich valleys and
over spa cious plains and by grand old Of the
prlmeval forests beautiful in the luxurious pomp OF
their eafy foliage; whirling over rivers and canals
and by the base Of mountains and through them
and over their SUBMITS, towering aloft into the
misty regions OF the clouds; whiring by cities and
villages and farms and workshops and factories and
furnaces and great iron rolling mills whose fires, lit
up at night like so many beacon lights may
be seen for miles away; whiriing through
perpetually changing panorama of splendid
scenery, very rarely surpassed elsewhere in
this country; whlrling thus along portion Of our
travelling companions was quite party or leading
savans from the Eastern States and others on their
way to attend the second meeting Of the Western
Social Science Association, to be held here to-day
and tomorrow. These people were full Of
SOCIAL SCIENCE.
All along the journey they seized every possible
occasion for launching out some topic cognate to
the great subject of social science. Sight of work.
house worked their feelings up to high pitch.
hnatic asylum set them fairly crazy Passing coal
trains invoked scathng denunciations Of the mental
and moral, as well as physical darkness in which
kept these delivers into the bowels of the EARTH
rum shop elected the most unsparing invectives
against the vile manufacturers and ver retail
venders OF decoctions OF corn and the juniper
juice Seeing women at work In the fields reused up
atent feelings OF galantry to the highest point Of
vituperatiOn Of such servile ensIavement OF noble
and tender woman. Against these voluble high
priests OF modern reform, selt-commissoneL to
lutionize the worlds ideas, and who believe they
will do SO in course of time, no one had a
chance to put in word edgewise. large num-
Der or clergymen returning to their western
homes from the late meeting of the Presbyte-
ran General Assembly at Philadelphia were
compelled, nOienS rOlefts to listen. Jay Cooke who
was among the passengers could not venture an
idea OF his own on finance against the hnespun
theories Of these seacres. They prOphesied gr
results from the forthcoming meeting, and that
Chicago would be all astlr on the subject Well
meaning men OF culture and education and good
deal Of sound sense the only trouble s that they not
only ride their respective hobbies when occasion
offers, but perpetually carry them with them, and
every time they mount them insist on others mount
ing them Also
lecture room, gOOd-sized room, with plain walls,
wanscoted IN imitation OF OAK, a desk-f il can be
called desk-Of Roman cross shape, from which TO
read the papers, the latter being placed on the apex
OF the cross convenient To the eyes, while the hands
rest on the projecting arms: aspner0idshaped table
for reporters and the hardest KIND OF ardbottomed
chairs for the spectators, the place of meeting,
anu nalpasJ TWO L. M. the nOur IOr assembling.
heavily pouring rain may have had something 10 do
Win the
SMALL NUMBER PRESENT
at the appointed hour. Along with some twenty-five
men who braved the storm were three ladies, Two OF
the latter wearing spectaces and all three in the hard
outlines OF their earnest faces showing In themselves
foremost and rrepressble advocacy OF the sixteenth
amendment. 1t was easy to tell that quite number
OF the men belonged to the clerical profession, while
pOnderOus-headed canes carried by others showed
themtO be doctors and college professors fully half
the number, were betrayed by their scholarly st0op
always have, indicating insatiate nqulsitorla re-
searches in the matter OF Greek roots or the nebua
sttuse ana useless to know. There We're Dowing and
handshaking and introductiOns and few minutes
general chatting, and then to
First in the way of business was reading letter
by Rev. Frederick n. Wines, corresponding secre-
tary from DR.. Q. X. Brockwav president OF the asso
ciation announcing his inability to attend the meet
Ing and regret at such being the Following the
reading of this letter Rev. Robert Collyer on motion
was appointed temporary chairman.a position he
promptly accepted, accompanying the acceptance
In very brlei and neat speech. After appoint.
ment Of committee OF five TO nominate permanent
officers Tor the ensuing year. and the same to be
reported at a business meeting to be held at nine
O'Clock tomorrow morning, Rev. Mr.. Wines read the
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES.
This report gave 123 annual members and twenty
two life members Is now belonging to the assOcia-
ton. Since Its organization, November H. 1883
there had been paid into the treasury $S26 and sub
scribed $i,559 The expenses in this time had been
$764 80, leaving $S04 80 the balance hand. Some
recommendations were made by the committee, as
revisal OF the constitution appointment OF local
agents in large cities, closer animation with other
American associations OF similar character, and
taking measures TO secure the publication of their
transactions The report was accepted. and there
being no further preliminary business the reading Of
papers was at once entered upon.
The first paper read was on
PRISON REFORM-ITS PRESENT POSITION AND OUT
LOOK IN THE UNITED STATES,
by Rev. DIR. G. G. Wines, corresponding secre-
tary OF the New York Prison Association. 1t was a
very long, able and exhaustive paper the subject.
He showed first the present state OF the prisons
in this country, then the advance made in
the past five years, and then the promises
for the future. The great thing, he urged, to be
sought after was the reformation OF criminals, and
he indicated the various ways In which this shond
be done-as proper classification, proper rewards
and probationary trial, giving greater breadth and
activity to moral and religious agencies and higher
development to Industrial training. He urged, also,
that instead OF peremptory sentences the terms OF
Imprisonment should be Of indeterminate duration
and limited only on satisfactory proof OF reforma-
ton. Political influence and control OF prisons he
pronounced most unqualifedly bad, and for brutal
force and brutal punlshments he would substitute
moral control. The paper was listened TO with the
most earnest attention.
nr a. T. Wudar Gunnrlptnndnut or tho Ilipois Ev