The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-08-10

Detroit, Mich, Aug. s.-The 4Gth an
nual meeting of the Association for tbs
Advancement of Science opened here
today. The attendance of members was
about 200. and the galleries We're filed
with citizens of Detroit. About q
members of the British association oc-
cuDied seats on the platform.
Secretary Frederick A. Putnam an
nounced the death of the association
former president, Professor Edward d.
Cope. In the absence of the president,
Wolcott Gibbs of Newport, r. l., the
chair was taken by Professor w. j.
MCGEE Of Washington, senior vice pres
lde---
Mayor Maybury delivered an address
of welcome, in which he said: Detroit
Sreets You as these who come TO set the
world right. The struggle between the
religious and The scientific world has
largely come to be thing of the past.
The old fear that somehow the dis
coveries Of science would upset the
teachings Of religion has passed away.
What fear should religion have from
the disclosures Of the Creators handi-
work."
Further words Of greeting were
spoken by ex-senator Thomas ".
Palmer. The speaker thought the ques-
ton, When did Science Originate?"
sufficient 10 break up in a row almost
any ordinary gathering. JOB was the
primeval scientist, and following him
all down the ages came Archimedes.
Aristotle. Calico and the modern men
Of learning, developing science until
now she stands a crowned queen, ac-
ceDting, but Tot demanding. the hon.
age of the world.
Professor MCGEE, in expressing his
appreciation of the hospitality extend
ed, said the object Of the association
was TO kindle interest in scientific mat
ters, and cultivate closer relationship
between scientists and the general pub
lis.
'IMPROYIDENT CIVILIZATION"
"Improvident Civilization" was the
subject OF an address by Professor
Richard I. Cciburn, chairman of the
section Of social and economic science.
Professor Coiburn thought the con-
troVersy in respect TO a bimetallic
money standard and the other as TO the
limits of safety for representatives of
currency money are certain to be fully
worked over by the powerful vested
interests concerned in reports of COM
PLANTATION was that these questions are
but parts of far greater question.
Professor COlburn added: When we
speak of value, eQuiValency, wealth,
risk, trust. DISTRICT, panic, prosperity,
we are dealing, rot with concrete sub
stances. like gold pieces. but with
states of mind; yet those ideas lie at
the foundation of commercial ex-
changes and monetary science. Have
any of you ever imagined what would
happen if some modern Rosicrucian
should succeed in the turning of base
metals cheaply into gold? No one can
maintain that this is impossible. Such
a discovery would introduce into the
world of commerce and, indeed. to all
fiscal relations Of men, an appalling
confusion-frst, by a general rise OF
prices; second, by a dislocation OF
fixed payments, of interest, salaries and
Other things. Among other curious re-
suits we should witness would be a
change Of sides and tunes between the
advocates Of gold and silver standards
with a general desire to shift over by
the holders CT contracts for specific
payments in coin or its equivalent. The
same thing would happen. only more
slowly, If a vast deposit of gold were
unearthed. and if, after gold was thus
by practically inexhauSt-
ible supply, the attempt were made 70
put silver in its place. the price of
which would be enormously enhanced |
this state of things would be liable. in
its turn, TO be upset by similar discov-
cries. l am not sure but the after-ben-
efits to mankind, and especially to Ia
Dor, by precipitating the necessity of /
inventing some more efficient tool of |
a scientific and more stable /
of values, would eomDen- |
state for all the disaster it would tenn
-, -
for such an accident for the settlement |
of a monetary SYSTEM
"If we wo1ld get credit or money or
the valuable substance that stands be- |
hind money, we must owe less and /
have a greater store of the articles the |
world needs. Whether the present es-
timation of gold as the measure of ex-
change values ie excessive or ira
tional, It is fact TO be reckoned with. !
It follows that the surplus should be /
in commodities. import /
able. eXportable and not too fragile or
perishable in their composition, not
subject to caprice of fashion nor of re-
stricted demand, but of these precious
metals and stones have by universal
consent best filled the requirements.
LOPsIDED CIVILIZATION.
sour present civilization is lopsided,
is contour is a symmetrical, it is not
abreast of the knowledge of the time
md is not yielding to mankind nearly
ne amount Of the comfort and we'll
,eing it might be made to do. From a
treat number of social ills, defects and
due chiefly to this over
apping of the childhood of the world
lpon its adult stage. 1 select a few of
he more serious. which viii require
many centuries TO correct themselves,
a order to raise the inquiry among
on whether il is not within the COM
ASS Of human endeavor to accelerate
better state not merely TO crafty an
ltruism impulse, not fulfllment of
thicaI ideas, but as a deliberate
hoice of divergent policies"
As examples of the improvident ten
encies of modern life, Professor Col
urn spoke of the waste of warfare
nd armament the decadences of races,
ernicious competition, spendthrift lux
~, the blight of Darasitism, the role
( superstitions and the diversity of
lnguages.
Professor I. c. White of Morgantown,
7. Va, had prepared an interesting
aper on 1.-The Pittsburg Coal Bed"
hich was read by Professor W. B.
airfeld.
EXPERT TESTIMONY.
Professor William c. Mason, chairman
the section of chemistry, read
ng address on Expert Testimony"