New-York tribune., 1875-05-14
REPORT BY +. B. SANBORN.

THE wOpK or SOCIAL SCIENCE, PAST AND PEEeENI.
Mr. President and Members Of the Association:
While bringing before you in brief review
the transactions OF Association and the general pro-
grcss in social science during the busy year that mas
passed since our last general meeting. an occasion may
be found the outset for recalling to your memory the
beginning and the early history OF the American Social
Association, which is now in its tenth year. ana
working with greater activity and amid more geneia
interest in work than before There have been
times when number Of members was greater than
now and year two in which pecuniary resources
have been larger than during the last twelve months
but there been period in which more ntelec
tua activity and practical ability have been directed
toward the problems Of social science in America Ana
vet when our original members, some OF whom see III
this audience revert in mind to the enthusiastic meeting
in October SOB at which our Association formed
they will perhaps remember with certain regret az
do the warmth and eagerness with %,ch % we otn tnrn
launched for the voyage, and anticipated nooe Iesm
from our venture. 1t was at the close OF long ana
sharp civil war, by which the national authority had
been maintained the national purpose yndicaied, ana
the Republic restored, we believed 10 It's anscUuS
Rerance Of washington and the fathers; and rated
their full value all the additions TO our national 3t
handed down to careessy flung at our feet We
fclt ourselves. in 1865, to be literally
Heirs Of all the ages in the foremost hles Of time,
and there little that We did not fancy ourselves
capable Of achieving. fear we must confess now that
rather overestimated our powers perhaps even ~
must said Washington said in the ebD ana slime OF
that gloomy period which followed the successes OF ,h
first American revolution We have Thought 700 Wen oI
human nature" For have come into one OF those
Of political and social collapse when hc worst
and most gnOble aspects Of human nature oici thcin
selves shameessy even proudly to view when the
national life viewed III some of It's most Conspicuous "a
amples. seems
Whose Side the rank sedge crowds while green
Spreads oer the shadows its soft Shiny vail
But if opportunity disciples and missionaries OF
social science appeared land 1t certainly did more at
tractiye ten years than il now appears the need Of
nation and corruption. They that be whole need not
physician but they that he sick; and whether we are
nursing the patient studying his disease, II Is equally
important that we should know its nature and remedy
1t has been objected to by some OF those who study social
rush to q remedy for supposed evils, instead oi
calmly inyesgatg the condition o, % tue 9 p3pG % art nf
regulating and improving society Is quite anothtr thng
ana as MIN long al" e Sr"tcp ' o sscncc that the
corresponding art should POSSES un'ersa or eH ecn
guard against the danger accident to which species
Is exposed, by practical instructions founded on the
no6iesf and most beneficial portion Of the political art"
Hence the large share that philanthropy III It's various
regard as most proper and legitimate As to our main
work Mr. Mill has, in another passage written long since
dicate the Claims Of social science then but mperccy
understood In the sixth chapter OF me sixth book oi
his System Of Logic " we find these words:
Next after the Of dydual the science Of
society Of the actions Of collective masses Of manoo
sH Of se nat "T%es Rf I in the n here r sna
there an insulated thinker generally very praed for iis
though the subject itself has OF all others engaged
The most general theme Of interested and
earnest discussion the beginning of recorded time
& nn d he sSSs If 1s amy e1en Condition
social affairs in the condition for instance Of Europe or any
causes had every particulars been made wia,
caecs each feature existing state likely produce
in I lgrs %oaG a % M@ there nothing chime
cal the hope that general laws sufficient to enable us 10
the individual circumstances of which we are well acquainted
do really Of being ascctaed Such the OBJECT Of the
such is no doubt the ultimate object of social science
phosophic ambition that our movement began in the
Spring Of 1863 In August Of that year the Massach,
meeting at Boston in October in which certain subjects
Science League The signers. among whom were those
original and constant members OF our Ass0ciatiO Dr.
said: orr attention has lately been called to the i'm
portance of organization in the United States both
of those questions relating to the Sanitary Condition of
the People, the Relief. Employment, and Educaton Of
the Poor the Prevention Of Crime the Amclioraton OF
the Criminal Law the Discipline Of Prisons. the Rene
dial Treatment Of the Insane. and those numerous mat
included under the general head Of Social Science. An
association for the consideration OF these questions has
among its mcmbcrs many of the most eminent philan-
thropists and statistical writers of that country. It's
In $3.50 under the presidency of DR. Eliot salaried
Secretary. Mr. Henry Willard, for the first time
gaccd and the work Of the Association both extend
ed and modified was then that ave we ncgan t" publish
anncared I'm August 49, and contained the papers read
at the general meeting at Albany, Feb la-19. 1863
Tbe sorond nnmber appearing in April 1870 contained
no t,sclvr nancrs rnd nj the general meeting in New
nT nt t"cr' n g $50 The third humber contained the
owI Institutc lectures on Social Science Spring
1870, and The fourth number The papers read at the gen
bTrr usy Wears 500 10 II besides ,hcse four numbers
~ Thc JornoL we Two valuable manuals both
a. M ro nf ,rai lahor one on Free Public Libraries
n , ,ha othssr .. Iaudbool for Immigrants" To the
Ievoion and industry of Dr. Eliot and Mr. Willard
Jmr fbs period our Association owes much Of its past
rnrmtSnn and present usefulness II was at this time
IP. u ana,i,d ,he s.ryi,es of MIR Jus Rarnard
ST rea.r ., and fora single wear under his vigorous
financial administration, ana ~" r. sas hsoo,in W r, & f.