New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-04
SOCIAL SCIENCE SESSIONS.
THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERI-
CAN ASSOCIATION BEGINS.

F. ]. KINGsBURY. THE PRESIDENT OF THE AS
ISOLATION. MAKES THE OPENING ADDRESS.
Saratoga Springs. y. Y. Sept. 3 (speciaD. THE
Ameri,a Social Science Association this evening
began Its annual cesson here The opening adj
dress was made by the president F. j. Kings
bury. OF Waterbury. Conn. At the close OF the
address the general secretary submitted the annual
report
The title Of President Kingsbury's address
The Reign of Law" The paper opened with
description Of a battle In Tolstois novel OF War
and Peace" where he points out In graphic way
the fact that most of those engaged In great battle.
even commanders OF batteries or OF regiments, know
nothing OF the battle as a whole. their knowledge
being limited entirely 10 what Is taking place just
about them. In the end they surprised to learn
that what was apparently OF but little moment
was the turning point In the conflict and they sud
denly find Themselves heroes for doing what seemed
to them an unmportant duty The key to the
whole was In the mind OF the general whose orders
they obeyed. President Kingsbury continued in
part:
This has been to great extent our conception
OF the battle Of llfe-a state of somewhat blind
obedience TO an over-ruling wisdom which. II per-
severed in. would be ordered and over-ruled as
to make all things we'll This was the Hebrew
ethics. and came to us with our religion. But gradu-
ally reign OF law has been interposed between US
and Providence The fatalsm OF the East was super
seeded by the rationalism Of the West, and man was
made TO feel that his destiny Is In his own hands
In short he has all the responsibilities or ON
nisclence without the power This view OF iife In,
creases our sense OF responsibility almost beyond
the power Of endurance. We see glimpses Of this
sense OF responsibility and lack Of knowledge to
sphinx. which is one Of the Oldest known to liter
a fabulous monster who propounded riddles to the
people and destroyed those vino could not answer
them Society Is a real monster VINO PrOpouhus
riddles TO us and destroys MS II we do not solve
them The riddle Of how our sewage Is 10 ab De
promptly answered. Is speedily followed by typhoid
their own Ignorance and want OF energy. No d.
vine power nterferes to save them from the CON
hy of hef folly b Snv Fss peS %, "
While enthusiasm is encouraging ard pessimlsmn
may be worth Ths ih f, n ee and 1 see
them at their worst In the valleys, 0, me a r,u
the purposes Of people who were Tar advahcei
aesthetic and doubtless though, they were to 20 on
Indefinitely Increasing In knowieige power ana g.ory
years they have been mere dust heaps In desert
In physical science. every step IN progress MAKES
his rule does no. hold Speculative philosophy
great cyc,es ,ha, are either circles endins
impcrccp,ible desree. tnat human faculties ind
II hard to note them. - -
body today with all he Hight we have. point oui
when. or where or how 1t might have been averted?
ce.sl,y But II. with ali The knowledge OF the past
wise enough 10 see how it might , have
troubles when ar" IN the dark as 10 factsF
Doubtless advances In ethics and society nave b'en
made but IL is perp.x.n2 10 see mat they are nOt
regular continuous The most advanced nations
Of to-day are me newer ones. dating back but a
Jew hundred years. while the oder ones that should
have been foremost. have all perished. Is II me
law OF nature that nations. Ike Wild apples only
grow and rpen that they MAJ fal! and rot? IL
vegetable animal tissue Is SHARPLY dIvId.i Il m
mcd.ately sets up process Of repair. This Is what
10 called melicatrix naturae Is there an ana.o-
gous process IN morals? We wish there might De-
hu. u look. more IKE empty anaogy. IL ms
been found by experience how impossible II - 70 DO
any cool In the world without NJ the same time
doing mischief. Charity iself carries with Il me
danger o. Generalization. No proper constitution
Viii make decent government without decent
people The constitutional experience OF III" south
hn.rlr,- states and " Connecticut WAS compared
Finally ls our system OF the conduct ~ NE rali
cally wrong or IL moral growth limited ana - be
s,,cccsIal hy decay? ~ does II move In great
cyc,c. u which national histories are but phases
or 10 We come back from whore We started, work
ing on, divine purposes which are hid from Va.
children CRYING In the night.
children crying for a light.
And with no language but a cryr