The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-10
SCIENTISTS IN SESSION
FORTY-sIXTH ANNUAL MEETING OF
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION.
Papers Read by Weu-Known Men
Prof. COlburn on ImprovidCnt Civil
izatiOn--The Money Question.

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 assemblage to order and an
nounced the death of the associations
former president, Professor Edward Cope.
In the absence of the president, Walcott
Gibbs, of Newport, r. l., the chair was
taken by Professor Theodore Gill; of Wash
ington, who in turn handed over the gavel
to Professor w. j. MCGEE, of Washington,
senior vice president of the association.
Mayor Maybury delivered an address of
welcome and further words of greeting
were spoken by ex-senator Thomas w.
Palmer. Professor MCGEE said the object
of the association was to kindle interest
in scientific matters and cultivate closer
relationship between scientists and the gen.
eral public He traced the parallel ad
vance of science and the countrys progress
and gave it as his opinion that one of the
most potent influences in giving America
her pre-eminent standing among nations
has been her scientific achievements.
After the adjournment of the general seS-
sion the nine sections were organized and
each section was addressed by it's chair
man. "Improvident Civilization" was the
subject of an address by Professor Rich
ard Il. Colburn, chairman of the section
of social and economic science. Professor
Colburn thought the controversy in respect
to a bimetallic money standard, and the
question to the limits of safety for rep
resentative or currency money are certain
to be fully worked over by the powerful
vested interests concerned, in reports of
commissions and printed volumes. His ex-
PLANTATION was that these questions were but
parts of a far greater question of meteor
ology. Professor Colburn added: when
we speak of value, equivalency, wealth risk,
trust, distrust, panic, prosperity, we are
dealing not with concrete substances like
gold pieces but with states of mind yet
these ideas lie al the foundation of CONNER
cial exchanges and monetary science.
EFFECT OF CHEAP GOLD.
Have any of you ever imagined what
would happen if some modern Rosicrucian
should succeed in turning base metals
cheaply into gold? No one can maintain
that this is probable. Such discovery
would introduce into the world of COM
merce, and indeed, into all fiscal relations
of men, an appalling contusiOn-first, by
general rise of prices; and, second, by a
dislocation of fixed payments of interests,
salaries and otherwise. Among other curl
Gus results we should witness would be a
change of sides and tunes between the ad-
Vocates of the gold and silver standards
with a general desire to SHIFT over by the
holders of contracts for specific payments
in coin it's equivalent. The same thing
would happen only more slowly, If vast
deposit OF gold were unearthed; and, II
after gold was thus discredited by prac-
tically inexhaustible supply, the attempt
were made to put silver in its place Qhe
price of which would be enormously en-
hanced) this state of things would be liable
in its turn to be upset by similar discover
les. | am not sure but the after Dement'S
to mankind, and especially to labor by
precipitating the necessity of 1nVenting
some more efficient tool f--exchanges-a
scientific and more stable enumerator of
ValueS-Would compensate for all the dlsas-
ter it would temporarily cost. Shall we
have to wait for such an accident Tor the
settlement of monetary system?
IF we would get creditor money, or the
valuable substance that stands behind
money we must owe less ana be have word
needs. Whether the present estimation of
gold the measure of exchange values is
excessive or irrational, it is d fact to be
reckoned with. 1t follows that the surplus
should be concentrated commodities, porta-
BILE. eXpOrtable, and not too fragile or per-
ishable in their composition; not subject TO
caprice of fashion, nor of restricted de-
mand, and of these the precious metals
and stones have by universal consent best
filled the requirements.
Our present civilization is lopsided; it's
contour is not symmetrical; it is not
abreast of the knowledge of time, and is
not yielding to mankind nearly the amount
of comfort and well-being it might be made
to do. From great number of social ills.
defects and shortcomings, due chiefly to
this overlapping of the childhood of the
world upon it's adult stages, 1 select a few
of the more serious which will require
many centuries to correct themselves in or
it is not within the compass of human en-
deavor to accelerate a better state, not
merely to crafty an altruistic impulse nor
tulfllment OF ethical ideals, but as a DELHI
crate choice of divergent policies" AS ex-
amples of the improVident tendencies of
modern life Professor Colburn spoke of the
waste of warfare and armament. the de-
cadence of races, perniciouS competition,
spendthrift luxury. the blight of parasitism,
the rule Of superstitions, and the diversity
Prof. l. c. White, of Morgantown, w
Va had prepared an interesting paper on
the Pittsbprg coal bed. In the absence of
paper was read by Prof. w g. Fairfield.
The age, area and structure were carefully
gone over. and the geological elements and
features of the great apolchian coal field
elaborated in the hope, as he said. of en-
phasiZing the necessity and Importance of
observing the smaller details of strait
graphy more closely. Professor White
criticised the United States geological sur
vey for entertaining the theory that no
coal DSu can De certainly 1uentlI eQ beyond
the area of its continuous outcrop This, he
claimed gives a local name to every iso-
lated area, thus adding greatly to the bur-
den of geological nomenclature a fault of
biologists everywhere. He urged a reform
in the methods of work which lead to such
undesirable results.
EXPERT TESTIMONY.
Prof. William P. Mason, chairman of
the section of chemistry read long ad-
dress on Expert Testimony" He consid-
cred that the cause of the universally harsh
criticism eff expert testimony was ignorance
on the part of the bar and at times. what
IS worse, ignorance on the part of the ex-
pert. He dwelt at length the chemical
features of this kind of testimony partic-
ularly in cases of suspected poisoning and
counseled greater care and precision on the
part OF PSYCHOLOGISTS in preparing cases for
court. Professor Mason concluded: THE
expert witness should be absolutely truth
full, of course; that is assumed, but beyond
that he should be clear and terse in his
statements, homely and apt in his illustra-
uons, incapable of being led beyond the
neld IN which he is truly an expert, and as
fearless of legitimate Ignorance he is
fearful of tllegitimate knowledge. Mount
ing the witness stand, with these principles
as his guide, he may be assured OF stepping
down again at the close of his testimony
with credit TO himself and TO the profess
sion he has chosen
as follows: Prof. Carl Barus, before the
section of physics. on "Long-range Tenn
perature and Pressure VariableS in Phys
les" Prof w. J. McGee, before the
ton tic of anthr9poiogy on NJ The Science of
the section Of mathematics and astronomy