New-York tribune., 1901-12-31
MEETINGS OF SCIENTISTS.
INTERESTING PAPERS AND DISCUS
SIONS AT CONVENTIONS IN
WASHINGTON.

1Uasb,rs+on Dec 30-The members of the Ameri-
csn Economic Association, now in convention here
on the invitation the Director of the Census and
the Librarian of Congress, to-day were conduct
ed through the library and the Census Off1ce. AT
the Census Office the members had an opportunity
to inspect interesting process OF tabulaton and
the resources OF the Library of Congress for eco
nomic research were freely explained by HERBERT
Putnam the librarian
Two interesting papers were read at the after
noon session-"Porto Rican Finance: Compar-
ative Study OF Spanish and American systems or
Colonial Finance" by Professor Thomas S. Adams
and "A Report of the Committee Uniform Mu-
nicipal Accounts and Statistics" by Moses N
Baker, the chairman. Mr.. Adams said that Amer1-
control of Porto Rico has meant the intro
duction of measure of financial autonomy in the
form of a native legislative chamber elected by
what is practically universal suffrage, the aboli-
tion of the expenditures for military, religious ana
moral establishments. and the simplihcation or the
system OF taxation. He showed how expenditures
under the American government are marked by
the absence OF appropriations for Church. army
and navy and by immense increases IN the amounts
devoted schools, charities. prisons and public
health. In 1897 9S for instance. he said the Span
lsh Government appropriated about $4,000 for pub
lie schools; in 1So1-'O2, the American Government
appropriated for schools more than 100000, while
at the same time the total expenditures under the
American Government have been reduced ABOUT
100000.
Mr. Adamss paper was discussed by Jacob H.
Hollander of Johns Hopkins University formerly
Treasurer Of Porto Rico.
Mr. Baker who submitted the report OF the com
mttee on uniform municipal accounts and sta
tstics supplemented It by two papers. entitled
Uniform Accounting a Prerequisite TO National
Municipal Statistics" and Progress Toward Uni
form Municipal Statistics in the United States.
He of the opinion that, as rule American
municipal accounting Is in a most deplorable con-
diton, being unsystematc, incomplete and mis-
leading. with little correlation between the ac-
counts of different departments OF the same city
and the diversity in the accounts OF ulIer-
ent cities, rendering comparison or the WORKINGS
Of different departments and cities always difhcult
and often impossible. He said that yearly COM
narrative summary Of the municipal statistics OF
the whole country. made and published by some
branch Of the national government, wouid pIac"
much valuable information within the reach OF
many investigators. whom 1t would otherwise
be unavailable.
HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS WORK.
The American Historical Association continued
its sessions here to-day with large attendance.
The speakers were Professor f. L. Stevenson, OF
Rutgers College; Professor Ephraim Emerton. of
Harvard and Professor James Harvey Robinson,
Of Columbia University. Professor Robinson's
paper was entitled Recent Contributions to the
History of the Protestant Revolt" The partisan
character OF the sources of information, he said.
greatly embarrasses those who anxious TO
form a fair minded estimate of the issues and the
leaders in the movement referred to. Neither side
or their enemies work. He declared that Jansen,
a Catholic historian. had done more than any
other writer of the last generation 10 give an
idea of the spiritual life in Germany before the
public appearance of Luther. He urged the neces-
sity OF studying the history of the medieval
Church far carefully and impartially. for. he
said we know far too little of the actual workings
of the Church before the Protestant schism. Even
the way in which it performed its religious func-
tions he said. has only recently become toierably
clear.
In the afternoon officers for the ensuing year
were chosen follows:
President-Captain ALFRED T. MAHAN. L. s. ".
vice -president-HENRY c. LEA Of Philadelphia
Second vice -president-Professor GoI.DwrN SMITH
Treasurer-Professor CLARENCE w. BOWEN
coFTP%9dns Ss y, CHARLES W HAS
JACKSON '-1 ~"
Executive cogncII.-HERBERT PUTNAM. WILLIAM A
FRANKLIN JAMESON ana A. IAwRENCE
Memorials OF two dead menbers-Professor NJ c
Tyler. OF Cornell and Professor Herbert B. Adams
Of Johns Hopkins-were read. The first OF these
memorials was by Professor George T. Burr OF
Cornell and the second by Professor John NJ
Vincent, Of Johns Hopkins
resolution was adopted recomuendtrv thu, ~,
essociaIion call the attention OF Congress to the
nan or records under government
me treasurer reported that the late Professor Her
10 the association. The committee on the G,stIr
Nlnsor prize announced that Uric s Philllps
Georgia was the successful contestant for the rriz
Tor lSl his essay being entitled Georgia and StsI
flghts Philadelphia selected as the next Mace
Tor meeting, which will be held In the Christmas
holidays in 1902. " "
Tonight the historical association held a toip.
SESSION with the American Economic Ass6cIa~
ucn. at whlch Martin A. Knapp, Interstate Com
a nlerce 1ommlssioner. presided. Two Interesting
Lowell or Harvard. treating of Party Iegisia-
non IN Farla ment, In Congress and in the State
IIeslslatures, a discussion which followed h,,
I1,ttQQIeasor marry r Judson. Of the University Of
h A Seligman. of Columbia University who dis
Gussed historical Materialism and the Economic
Interpretation OF History" Some remarks an ~
latter subject were made by Professor Isaac a
II5ooS or the University of Iowa and Professor F
r. Cheyney' or the University OF Pennsylvania
ASTRONOMERS IN SESSION
The Astronomical and Astrophysical Society of
America, which includes many scientists well
known throughout the country. began its annual
meeting to-day. Professor Simon Newcomb pre-
most or the day. A number Of papers were read
on the observations Of the eclipse at Slmatra la 81
way way PROFESSOR A. n. Skinner described the work
OF the United States Observatory eclipse expedition
May rs 1901 and c. d Perrine reviewed the re-
expedition. N o"'ei ei'a'ofy
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NATURALIsTS
PHYsIo1OGIsTs HEAR FURTHER OF EFFECT or
SALT SOLUTIONS ON HEART BEAT
Chicago. Dec. So.-Naturalists and scientists from