Evening star., 1901-12-28
HISTORICAL PAPERS
Those Read at the Session This
Morning.
SUBJECTS OF RECORDS AND RESEARCH
A Luncheon at the Congressional
Library.
l. AST MIG IT'S WOR K

LAST NIGHTS WOR K
The American Historical Association,
which is holding it's seventeenth annual
convention in this city, continued its ses-
sions today. The association did not join
with the American Economic Association,
however. in it's discussion of matters per-
tanning to historical events, but held a
meeting of it's own at the Congressional
Library where at 1870 papers were pre-
Scented and read on historical records and
historic research as follows: AN American
School of History at Rome" by Prof Lucy
NJ. Salmon, Vassar College; European
Archives" by Prof. George L. Burr, Cor
nell University; THE Massa chusetts Public
Record Commission and Its Work." by Mr..
Robert T. Swan, commissioner of public
records of Massachusetts, and THE Rela-
tion of the National Library to Historical
Research in the United States" by Mr..
Herbert Putnam, librarian Of Congress.
Luncheon Mt the Library.
At 1890 o'clock the delegates sat down to
a sumptuous luncheon, served in the res
taurant at the library. The luncheon. which
was an informal affair, was much enjoyed
by the historians.
After inspecting the library the members
of the convention adjourned for their meet
ing at the Columbian University, at 2:30
O'Clock. according to the following pro-
gram:
Today's Program.
2:3O p.m.-Public session Of the church
history section. Columbian University.
$50 p.m.-Conference of college teachers
of history. Columbian University.
4:3O p.m.-Private meetings of the COM
mittees, commissions and boards in the
rooms of the Columbian University.
At o'clock tonight there will be another
meeting at Columbian University for a dis
cUssion of the general subject Of American
history.
After the conclusion of the afternoon ses-
siCn the delegates will be entertained at a
reception rendered by ex-senator and Mrs.
John B. Henderson.
Last Nights Session.
The conventions of both the Historical
Association and the Economists opened last
night with a joint session at which two
papers were read by the presidents of the
two bodies. Prof. Richard T. Ely, as presi-
dent of the Economic Association, dwelt
upon industrial liberty as a concrete. prac-
tiCal possibility. President Charles Francis
cussed the dangers of paternalism under
the caption, IAN Undeveloped Function"
welcome from Rev. Samuel H. Greene,
DID,, acting president of Columbian Uni
versity, preceded the addresses. DR.. Greene
made the occasion an opportunity for emu
merating briefly the remarkable results due
to the researches of the two bodies and for
indicating the increasing Importance of
Washington as an educational center.
Prof. Ely's Paper.
Prof. Ely, although viewing his subject
practically, treated it academically. Lib
erty cannot. be an absolute ideal,' he said,
because authority is needed in society in
order to secure a harmonious cooperation
of it's various elements, and without social
authority We could have no production Of
wealth and We should be without the ma
terial basis of that large and popular lib
erty which enables us to employ our facul-
ties in the common service This social
authority rests, for the most part, upon the
great institutions of society-property, vest
ed interests, contract and personal condi-
tions. To only a limited extent is there a
direct political basis for the authority
whereby one man brings into harmonious
cooperation other men in the work of pro-
ductlon. The basis of social authority is
for the most part, institutional.
On the other hand, socialism furnishes
US with no sufficient ideal of Industrial lib
erty. Going to the opposite extreme from
l
that social authority through which the in
dustrial cooperation Of men is affected It
would limit the range of free choice, and
restrict liberty, although to a less degree
than anarchy. The true ideal lies midway
between anarchy and socialism, and may
be termed the principle Of social solidarity
According to this principle, the great in
st1tutions Of society must be conserved, but
developed In the interests of liberty posi-
lively conceived. There must be a care
fully elaborated and wisely executed regu-
lat1on OF economic relations.
We are indulging in no Utopian fancies.
but are simply describing the forces which
are everywhere manifesting themselves in
the most enlightened nations, and are re-
sultlng In an evident increase of the
sphere of industrial liberty for the masses
of men. 1t is absurd to say that we must
not pass any law in the interests of A.
single class Of men, inasmuch as men
exist In classes, and industrial laws to he
effective must deal with them as thew
exist in classes. And, moreover, no class
exists for itself. AS society becomes real
and vital, and means more and more to
us all, 1t becomes apparent that no one
class exists for itself, and that no one
class can exist apart from all other
classes"
The Great Questions.
In the judgment Of Mr.. Adams the last
twelve presidential campaigns had brought
before the country six great questions
trusts and Imperialism. Three Of these, he
said in the beginning of his paper, had
been definitely disposed of. They were
slavery, reconstruction and the currency.
The tariff would always be debatabIe
ground. The living issues susceptible Of
definite solution were thus limited to trusts
and Imperialism.
Monopoly Is as old as civilization" he
said. "The ancient monopoly was something
granted by the government which enabled
the persons securing 1t to reap vast profits
The modern trust is based on an entirely
different principle. 1t seeks to obtain a
larger profit by larger sales at a smaller
profit 1t Is but one step more in the pro-
cess Of the development of industry since
man commenced making machinery. The
record of mankind shows that increased
production has driven out the small dealer
by means of a larger trade, an extension of
commercial activity. No monopoly can ex-
list which is not under cover of the gov
ernment, and there Is no trust in the United
States that could maintain itself after
charging more than any one else for the
same article, unless it were allied with the
government. Therefore In the study of his
tory throughout it will be found that the
bastile of the trust Is the tariff"
The speakers consideration of imperial
ism was based chiefly on his fear OF nater