New-York tribune., 1901-12-29
MEETINGS OF SCIENTISTS.
ECONOMIC AND HISTORICAL
ASSOCIATIONS

Washington, Dec. 2S.-The American Economic
Association devoted its morning session to-day to
a discussion of international trade, and the after
noon session to economic theories. Brooks Adams
of Quincy, Mas, in interpreting the recent ex-
pansion the foreign trade of the United States
entered a plea of justification for commercial and
even military warfare to maintain the commercial
supremacy of country. He reviewed the eco
nomic conditions in the United States and surveyed
the rise and fall of governments in the past.
Worthington C. Ford. chief of the department of
statistics Boston Public Library, gave review of
the commercial policy of Europe. in which he
tended that free trade would be the outcome of
threatened breakdown of the "superstructure of
the general tariff condition of Europe The
greatest question facing Europe to-day according
to his view is the food supply. All European
countries he said. desirous Of being sef-sui
cient which he described as an impossibity. In
the tariff policies of Europe. he said the most
favored nation clause had been practically elmi-
mated Professor Henry c. Emery. of Yale, also
discussed this subject.
Charles A. Tuttle of Charlottesville. Ind. de-
scribed the workman's position in the light of
nomic progress. and contended that trades union
ism and collective bargaining. profit sharing and
Industrial arbitration all signif1ed tfat the work
man has quasi property right in the business in
which he is employed.
PROTECTIVE TARIFF POSSIBILITIES.
At the afternoon session paper by Thomas N
Carver, of Harvard University. discussed Some
Theoretical Possibilities of Protective Tariff"
He took the ground that tariff duty is not neces-
sariy paid by the home consumer and that a pro-
tectve tariff may be framed to raise wages
as we'll as to attract labor and capital from the
less productive into the more productive industries
judged from the point of view of the community
rather than from that of the individual business
man.
The third session was held this evening and pa
pers The Negro in the Yazoo-Mississippi
Delta" by Alfred H. Stone. of Greenvne. Miss.
and Cancellation and Arbitration Among Miners
by Herman Just, commissioner of the Illinois Coal
Operators Association, were heard with much in
terest Mr.. Stone portrayed the condition of negro
labor In the northwestern part of Mississippi where
the blacks represent about 81 per cent Of the popu
lation. Here more than in other places he said.
the methods and traditions of the old plantation
system preserved. Race troubles and conflicts
are unknown, and this not due he
tended TO sedentary population but rather to the
preponderance OF the blacks. which draws a sharp
line between the laboring classes and the directive
classes. The absence of the white laborer keeps
alive the instructive respect for the white man
which makes harmonious relations possible. In
closing, the speaker related his personal experience
as a plantation manager with a system OF opera
tion which designed TO overcome Of the
weak points in customary contracts and insure
greater measure of independence for the laborers.
SETTLEMENT OF LABOR TROUBLES
Mr.. JUST described the methods pursued in the
coal mining industry of Illinois in the settlement of
disputes and the prevention of strikes by friendly
council where selfcontrol is the governing factor.
The careful drafting of annual contracts tends to
lessen the difficulties likely to arise, he said. and
the efforts of the Illinois Coal Operators Associa-
ton and of the United Mine Workers of Illinois
have been directed not so much toward establishing
a well defined and elaborate plan of arbitration or
conciliation obviate the necessity for either
His experience had shown the Importance of
promptness where differences disputes had
arisen because the longer the most trifing differ
allowed to remain unadjusted the more
serious they became and the difficult of settle
ment. He did hold, he said. that the conditions
in Illinois are ideal, but could deny marked
improvement and hopeful outlook. With respect
to the standing OF labor organizations before the
law, he could agree with the contention ad-
vanced by many persons that the remedy for abuses
practised by employers and employees is TO be found
in legislation which would only work injury to
labor and increase the difficulties of the employer.
lightened public opinion of free people is better
than courts or restrictive laws
HISTORICAL PAPERS READ.
The first of to-day's sessions OF the American
Historical Association was held at the Library of
Congress. Several papers were read historical
records and historical research. Herbert Putnam,
the Librarian of Congress- discussed the close rela-
ton of the National Library to historical research
in the United States. Robert 7. Swan, Commits
sioner of Public Records of Massachusetts,
planned the operations of his Office Professor Lucy
NJ. Salmon. of Vassar College, described AN Amer
lean School of History at Rome" and Professor
George L. Burr, of Cornell University, discussed
European Archives" The delegates, after being
shown about the library. were entertained lunch
con in the building. The afternoon session de-
voted to papers on Church history.