Omaha daily bee., 1897-08-10
DOCTORS OF SCIENCE MEET
Fill the Large Auditorium of the High
School Building.
sAyANTS HOLD A SESSION AT DETROIT
Forty-sixth Annual Gathering Opens
with u Good Neutrality-suspicious.
Able Papers Prcscntcd-Brit-
ish on Hand.

''S Nc'1e " ~ VI bN"aANF NV
being in honor OF the forty-sixth annual
meeting of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science. The attendance
of members was about 200 at the opening,
and the galleries were filled with citizens of
Detroit. About twenty members of the Brit
ish association occupied seats on the plat
form.
Secretary Frederick w. Putnam called the
death of the associations former president,
Prof. Edward d. Cope. In the absence of
the president, Wolcott Gibbs of Newport,
r, l., the chair was taken by Prof. Theo-
dore Gill of Washington, who in turn handed
the gavel to Prof. w. j. MCGEE of Washing
, ton, senior vice president of the association.
Mayor Maybury delivered an address of well
come. in which he said: Detroit greets
you as those who come to set the world
right; the struggle between the religious and
| scientific world has largely come to be a
thing of the past. The old fear that some
how the discoveries of science would upset
the teachings of religion has passed away.
| What fears has religion from the disclosures
of the Creators handiwork 2"
Further words of greeting were spoken by
| ex-senator Thomas w. Palmer. The speaker
thought the question, when Did Science
Originator sufficient to break up in a row
almost any ordinary gathering. Job was
the DTlneNa SCleuIlSl anu 1OllOWlnB MIN
all down the ages came Archimedes, Aris-
totle, Calico and the modern men of learn
ing, developing science until now she stands
a crowned queen, accepting but not de-
handing the homage of the world.
Prof. McGee, in expressing his apprecia-
tion of the hospitality extended, said the
object of the association was to kindle inter-
est in scientific matters and cultivate q
closer relation between scientists and the
general public.
After the adjournment Of the general
session the nine sections were organized
and each was addressed by its chairman.
SURE Of A FINAL SOLUTION.
"Improvident Civilization was the sub
iect of an address by Prof, Richard T. Col
burn. chairman of the section OF social and
economic science. Prof. Colburn thought
the controversy in respect to a bimetallic
money standard and the other as to the
limits of safety for representative or cur
rency money are certain to be fully worked
over by the powerful vested interests con-
cerned in reports of commissions and printed
volumes. His explanation was that these
questions are but parts of a far greater
question of neurology. Prof. Colburn added:
leH MRen wealth. Tf T FpeEak trust 1f GGa istra;st. eq panie,
concrete substances like gold pieces. but
with states of mind; yet those ideas lie at
and monetary science. Have any of you
imagined what would happen if some modern
| 1tOStcTuldH S1uulu SuCCetu IL III luTUlIS U
base metals cheaply into gold. No one can
maintain that this is impossible. Such a
commerce. and indeed into all fiscal rela-
tons of men. an appalling confusion; first,
by a general rise of prices, and, second, by
a dislocation of fixed payments of interest,
salaries and otherwise. Among other Curl
Gus results we should witness, would be a
advocates of gold and silver standards.
with a general desire to shift over by the
holders of contracts for specific payments
| in rnin r ifC pnnivnl lent Tho "a me- thing
would happen, only more slowly, If a vast
deposit of gold were unearthed; and if,
tically inexhaustible supply, the attempt
were made to put silver in its place the
hanced) this state of things would be liable
in its turn to be upset by similar dis
SeHeGts to m ! am not and Su espee eh1 the te la aftsr
by precipitating the necessity of inventing
some more efficient tool of exchanges. a
scientific and more stable senumerator of
values, would compensate for all the dis
aster it would temporarily cost. Shall we
F haYe to Wa oft a for mo srsh an sy aSeiae1t for the
If we would get creditor money or the
valuable substance that stands behind
money we must owe less and have a greater
store of the articles the world needs.
Whether the present estimation of gold as
or irrational, it is a fact to be reckoned
with. 1t follows that the surplus should
exportable and not too fragile or perishable
in their composition, not subject to caprice
or of fashion,. nor of restricted demand, and
of these the precious metals and stones
have by universal consent best filled the
requirements.
Our present civilization is lop-sided; its
contour is a-symmetrical; 1t is not abreast
of the knowledge, of the times and Is not
comfort and weil-being it might be made to
do. From a great number of social ills,
defects and SHORTCOMINGS. due chiefly to
this overlapping of the childhood of the
world upon its adult stages, l select a few
of the more. serious, which, will require
whether it is not within the compass of
not merely riyet to crafty al t an aitruistic impulse
nor fulfllment of ethical ideals, but as a
deliberate choice of divergent policies.
AS examples of the improvident tendencies
of modern life, Prof. Colburn spoke of the
waste of warfare and armament, the
decadences of races, pernicious competition,
spendthrift luxury, the blight of parasitism,
the role of superstitions and the diversity
Of languages.
PENNSYLVANIA COAL BED.
Prof. |. C. White of Morgantown, w. Va,
had prepared an interesting paper on The
Pittsburg Coal Bed" In the absence of
Prof. White, who is in Russia, the paper
was read by Prof. w. B. Fairfield. The
age, area and structure were carefully gone
over and the geological elements and fea-
lures OF the great appalachian coal field
elaborated, in the hope, as he said, of en-
phasizing the necessity and importance Of
observing the smaller details of stratigraphy
more closely. Prof. White criticised the
United States geological survey for entertain
ing the theory that no coal bed can be GER
tainly Identified beyond the area Of its con-
tinuous outcrop. This. he claims, gives a
local name to very isolated area, thus adding
greatly to the burden of geological omen
c~lature. a fault of biologists everywhere.
He urged reform in the methods of work
which lead 10 such undesirable results.
Prof. william C. Mason, chairman of the
section of chemistry, read a long address on
Expert Testimony" He considered that
the case of the universally harsh criticism
of expert testimony was ignorance on the
part of the bar, and at times what Is worse
than ignorance on the part OF the expert.
He dwelt at length on the chemical fea-
lures of this kind of testimony, particu-
laTly in cases OF suspecred poisoning, and
counseled greater care and precision on the
part of Psychologists in preparing cases for
court. Prof. Mason concluded: THE ex-
pert witness should be absolutely truthful,
of course, that is assumed but beyond that
he should be clear and terse In his state
ments, homely and apt in his illustrations.
incapable of being led beyond the field in
which he lie truly an expert and as fearless
OF legitimate ignorance as he is fearful OF
illegitimate knowledge. Mounting the wit
noes stand with these principles as his guide,
he may be assured OF stepping down again