New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-23

ladies present HE proceedings Wcte oporu WIN
the reading OF annual report by the General secre-
tary b. saaborn, OF which large abstract is given
below.
THE sECRETARY's REPORT.
To report with auy completeness the worn OF scooa
science oar country more difficult than FOR man
20 complete bis oogrlpIy, but something NAV per-
hans be sad 90 indicate u Jhe main features and
later mani .estatlons or American sociAi science.
have never seen a person who could conc'eciy
define social science, or state wherein ID 0lers RON
otner branches OF human know. edge " seems 70
De neither science an art, but mingng OF the
Two. Whatever concerns mankind IN 'her social,
to this comprehensive ahsIricuOn, and social science
shades OF mperc,puoy mo metaphysics On one
q th.rd. and So round the whole circle OF human IN
curry. TIere j. much social science work to be
work Mucn OF WOmau- work, and is getting % be
done by and more. lt Is one or the adYant
America nat we can plant anew, IN virgin SOIL
hut tbs condition does not ioug continue; there are
portions already where the evils OF the Old civilization
stances OF the people OF America. We make great
parade Of the tables aud statistical reports but
much trust them. An American census, ID It's best
estate, combination of guesses and mistakes
deliberately selected ana computed We nave the salts
yesr cives ms better gHesses and more trustworthy
Computations THIS especially true OF he statistics
SarmeJ bv 0niy Tx states Every stale should main
tain Statistical Bureau and that OF the nation should
-, ,ers ~ - t,nc once in decade Next 10 the col
lection OF facts the dissemination or principles
practical Application or them 70 the coma OF
thiugs revealed by statistics. This attractive
woik and The n0bler; but II Is less indispensable
than the humber task OF the census taker aud the
statisrlau Rather perhaps should be spoken OF as
more inevitable for ideas more Oe avoided than
can the change Of seasons. But idea IN the wrong
Mace a notion out OF lis latitude q principle lnappi-
ran % the case hand-these quite hkey to be
hurtfu helpful while facts and dates never injured
auybOIy undescrvedly. Moreover IDEAS may he crude
and principles eau be misunderstood. only half
learned and thence mucn OF the mischief in the
world; while statistics can never hurtiu only when
they ar Hence, i
Important the collection OF facts next IN order
the combination aud application OF them. And upon
this second Of social science work AssOca
lion received some most useful hints fIom great man.
now dead-the late Horace Greeley. A. our
Albany general meeting IN February. 1859. MI
Greeley briefly addressed Us IN words tnat were then
nTgent public need OF to-day said
preparation aud cheap publication or series OF larger
tracts, embodying ali tnat Is known beyond DISPUTE IN
the domain Of natural intellectual and moral science
practical Among these topics Mr.. Gree
ley enumerated. Dy way OF Illustration, ventilation.
with statement emDodyng his denuItion OF so
eial science-perhaps as good as any we have heard
After urgin. society should be found formed
80 provide and duSe such summaries for popular use
Of elementary physical and moral TRUTH, he ADDED That
ths would surely and slgnay cOnduce TO the d1uslon
OF knowledge, virtue and happiness-in other words, TO
the ad vanceInent OF social science"
No one has vet undertaken precisely this work IN
., ,be FnIsh ,c,a science Associatlon Iabored aop
with Mrs sOmerylle and others 10 promote ~ Great
20 ssnI knowie6~eT Fonblapoue and fbe wis of tbat
time insisted after unlueky publications, THAT
Lord BrOugham's true mission was either the con
rus on Of useful ledge" the diffusion OF useless
knowledgc" thus pointing out two OF the risks which
such an undertaking must encounter But Whatever
The risks are n or the most needed functions or
social science America now 20 perform this work
attempted by BrOughain and recommended ny Greeley
The newspaper can 90 much IN TINS way ana ACTUALLY
does IT, but under some limitations ana with
some peryerslons which II Is PoSsiVe , 70
syOil Probably no one agency III America
ever did so much in this way from IS4l
TO 1872 as Mr. Greeys newspaper but that did not
satisfy It's founder saw at Albany. 10 some e1,
tent and ia greater degree since WORK OF
tits sort has been essayed by public Boards OF hean
CEauly Education aud The Ike In sunmoning confer
ences Oh these cal boards 10 he held III connection
Sih meeting the Association hoped 10 brbg
together more closely FOR research and prac-
tlca4 administrator these organizations winch exist
IU tbe same general purpose. Ihis hope mas bern
si1py Justified The appointment OF committees Tor
I.t1t WORK aud the concerning Tie insane,