Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-05-12
Bill King and Kinds Indicted.
THE SOCIAL SAVANS.
Hon. ID. A. Wells on the POIiticO-
Economical Problems of
the Day.
MeetIng OF AmerIcan soeIoIog ists.

citation have, for the most part, arrived ia
this city, and a session of unusual import
ance and interest is expected during the
next four DAYS. The following are among
the most prominent arrivals Prof. Pierce
and wife, Of Harvard University; Jas. NJ.
Barnard, EIizur Wright, Mrs. c II. Dalland,
Mrs. J. c. Lodge, Of Boston; Reedville
Blum, Austrian Secretary of lLegatiOn,
and /. 8. Wells, Of Norwich, Conn.,, the
President If the Association, and DR.. d.
F. Lincoln. of Boston, the Secretary Of the
department Of health.
Hon. David A. Wells
was introduced and delivered an address on
the general subject of social science, and
especially on the relations Of capital and
labor and Of the mutual duties Of society
and the labOring classes. He started with
the proposition that never before to-day has
man been able to produce so much with q
given amount Of power. To illustrate this
he addUced the fact that by the construction
of the Suez Canal, the time Of a vessels
passage from England TO Calcutta has been
reduced from 10 or 12O days to 30
DAYS. And this pTepOnderancs Of mind
over matter is becoming more notable,
every year showing new and valuable ad-
ditiOns TO the list of inventions. The fields
Of science and art are still open to the in
yentOr, but with the advance OF science
came necessarily a cheapening Of the pro-
duCtious of labor. What was formerly
luxury comes TO be a necessity, and former
extravagance is becoming frugality. Where
this cheapening process will stop is an in
teresting matter for speculation.
The speaker then examined the progress
/ i've stage of society as regards the possession
ofproperty. The poorer classes are grad
ually but surely learning the motto, "egery
man for himself and the devil take
the hindmOst," and are determined
that the devil Of civilization shall
not capture them. If it does,
they NAV, like the Communists Of
Paris, draw down the whole fabric Of so
/ ciety into one common vortex Of destruc-
ton. The wealthy perceive this spirit,
and, from this perception, coupled with the
| efforts and demands Of the poorer ones,
schools, hospitals, churches, sanitary and
! social reforms sprang. Ant2gonism, how
/ ever, originated strikes, trades unions and
| organizations Of that class.
A yagabond repays the society which
| compels OF assists him TO his vagabOndaSe
| by founding a line Of paupers, prostitutes,
| lunatics and drlInkards. Society sees this,
| too, and meets the case by all the
! means in her power. The idea that the
/ men who talk Of social science in our day
4 are hermits, full Of book learning but de-
| void Of experience and actual knowledge
! of the evils they would set right, is a mis-
take. To show the absurdity Of this be-
/ lief the speaker addUced statistics and
statements TO prove that by following out
| the teachings of social science mortality
can be much reduced, The province
| of the social sCienceh retOrmer Is to
| study statistics. compare results and draw
! indubitable conclusions; and for this wore
! society owes him a greater debt than II
! owes The successful fnanCier or statesman.
The teachings of some European re-
/ formers. that property is theft, seem alb
/ surd in America. Law cannot regulate the
| ACQUISITION and division of pEopert y. As
/ well attempt to provide by statute that all
/ men shall bel born with an equal physical
/ and mental capacityifOr production.
/ Mfr. Wells puOceeded at considerable length
TO applV me division principle to Ameri-
can productions and acquisitions, and, 70
show the absurdity and impractica6,litY Of
il. he saidit Is proper and right for the WORK,
man of the United States to demand and
strive. if he will, for the largest possible
share of the joint products Of labor and
capital, for it is the natural right Of every
{ one TO seek TO obtain the largest price
for that which be has to sell; but If, IN
so doing, he restricts production, and SO
| diminfshes abundance, he does it at his peril
for. by a law far above any legislative con
/. troll or influence, whatever increases search
w not only increases the necessity, but dl'
/ minlshes the rewards Of labor.