The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-10
SOCIAL SCIENCE THIS YEAR

The more or less pretentous individuals who
meet yearly 10 read one another their essays on
social topics are haunted by an uneasy sense Of
the fact that their labors are not appreciated;
the busy world spins along. IL not wholly un-
conscious OF the Social Science Association. at
least careless Of their proceedings. This feeling
crops out in the latest report Of their Secretary.
who endcayors TO show that the association has
been Of practical use. and that the essay read
ing and talk Of past years have left
rcsiduum.of accomplished reforms He points
TO the recent abolition of the Coroner and his
jury in MASSACHUSETTS, and the substitution Of
competent medical examiners Of the vicinage-a
change directly traccahc 10 the effect of an essay
prepared for the association. at the instance Of
its Health Department. upon the receptive
mind Of Gov. Rice. He also claims for the as
ISOLATION the credit Of having fastened the
opening of training schools for nurses in this
country. and OF having prepared the crooked
way for Hayes fraudulent civil service reform.
In closing his report he gives his opinion that
while the theory of social science has been
framed 10y men, its practice can be advanced
only 10y the cooperation OF women.
OF the papers read at Saratoga last week thu
most noteworthy were those of the President
David A. Wells on the relations of economic
laws TO public and private morals Prof. Stan
ley Jevons Of England on the silver question !:
Mr.. Gamalie Bradford on the outlook for re-
sumption Mr. William Minot, Jr.. on local tax
alton: DR.. Nathan Allen on changes in the pop
ulation Of New England; Gen. I. VI. Logan on
the opposit ton to free schools in the South the
Hon. W. l.. Trenholm on the industrial and
social aspects Of the southern question: the
| Hon. j Randolph Tucker on the rotations be-
| tween the States and the Federal Government
as modified by the war; and Mr.. Samuel Bowcs
| on the State and the municipality, President
| Wells finds trrtil" cause OF Oflcial and mer.
camille demoraliziltlon IN our present tar and
| tax laws. which he crlticises as unnecessarily
| oppressive. clum-uy adjusted. and setting
| premiums on dishon sly: and We notice that he
| is ready 10 pledge his head 10 restore public
prosperity within four years II we viii lrt him
| happily. that is CONGRESSES business under the
Constitution, and cannot lawfully be- delegated
| even to Mr. Wells. Prof. JrVons wnraS us that
| If we try to ro6stahlsh n bimetnllic standard
we shall be setting ourselves against " irreslst i
ne nHr" tH !, nia ueh m Inpre d Srsi we
| dollar piece the eNnf equivalent of the pound
sterling and the pred9mipqnt gold CON OF ~
| of the Treasury should bc given n sent
and that this should be done ut onto
should Ice levied exclusively upon visible anC
tangible wealth DIR. Aliens later invcstgt
emigration To- the West Immigration from Eu
rope aud Canada AMI the greater birth ra,r o
I
n fair way To hc dr.lankcrlnd and de Ameri
canizrl an outlook which fills the Doctor viii
forebodng. Gen. Logan thinks the horror o
miscegenhtion felt by the white people of thu
southern States is well founded. but that thu
opposition to free public schools is n mistaken
aud transient manifestation Of II: at tho SAINT
| time he Is satisfied that the public school sys
tenn will have 10 be- modified and adapt
ed to the conditions prevailing in ht
part of the country. Mr., Trenholm is hopeful
| that, with resumption. capital. and immigril
| ton. the South Will outstrip the other sections
in development aud resulting prosperity. MI
Tucker says that the Settlements of the war tn
three amendments and all are accepted in gOo'
iaith at the same time these have not RADICAL
changed the nature of the Government. II /
still II coniedcrAted republic, with the States Il
units. and their destruction would be Its do
structiOn also. Mr.. Bowles. too, Is for cherish
ing and increasing the power and usefulness u
| the State; he would have no police but the stat
police. no prisons but state prisons, no school
! charitable institutions not under the drrc
charge Of the State For the rest he woul
leave To the municipality only the care Of build
ings. streets. and parks paving. beautifyinG
providing water and gns and guarding agains
fire. Tho taxes Tor these purposes lie wOul
levy under sstricted suffrage.
The Social Science Asso 'iation has satcllit
, ii We may use the word without oi1ence-i
the Conference Of Charities. Some people thin
that the satellite gives better quality OF hgl
than the other body. II is certain that the dis
cussions in the Conference of Charities turn o
practical topics that the men who take part |
thcm are well informed. as Il rule, in their spo(
iaitcs. and that they nsnnily talk 10 the point.