The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-11-14
THE DIGNITY OF CHEMISTRY.

THE DIGNITY OF CHEMISTRY.
 Its Devotees in Public Life--A Glance
 at the Future.
 There is one point, however, in whicl
 1t seems to me we are much at fault
 and that is in the fact that the chem
 ists of this country seem to have taker
 but little interest in the science of civ
 ics We are prone to regard politics as
 a profession beneath the dignity of Q
 scientific man, and yet we must admit
 that the organization of the body poli-
 tic for the public good Is the highest
 work to which a man can devote him.
 self. In ather words, real politics is the
 most useful and most honorable of pro-
 fessions. The trouble here In this
 country is that politics becomes a
 source of revenue or of sole revenue.
 How much better 1t would be if men
 who have reached success and compe-
 tence in other professions, without
 abandoning these in their maturer
 years. would devote a portion of their
 time to the public good. In Europe
 this is commonly the case, and we are
 all familiar with the names of eminent
 scientific men who have become cele-
 brated also as leaders in political life. In Germany, we recall the name of Vir-
 chow, who, for more than thirty years, has been a member of the national leg
 islature, and of Mommsen, the great historian, who has taken an active part in politics. In Italy, one of the hono- rary members of our society Canniza- rS iss pS yrtn ai5a,,t Of that body. In France Bertholot is a life senator and has been minister of foreign affairs. In England, Roscoe has been a member of parliament and Faraday and Humphry Davy and oth- CT scientific men were active in public affairs. In our country, I believe, only one member of the Chemical society has ever become a member of the na- tional legislature, and this was due to fortuitous combination of most in compatible elements, namely, a union of democracy and prohibition.
 I think we should all strive to dis courage this sentiment, which is so pre- valent, that politics is a dirty pool and that men of science should keep out of it. When you have reached compe- tSiSC -etlitI NiollHAtlOIi III yobi picANoSASAi what better service to which to apply your leisure hours than the study of the public veal? There are so many ways in which science can be utilized in political and civic affairs. The con- servation of the public health, the pre- vention of epidemics and contagious d dseases, the control of the water SUD- ply of cities, the disposal of the refuse of cities, the study of dangerous and commercials of foods, are all mat tters affecting directly the public health and the public welfare. To be- come interested in these matters would be to more actively participate in pub lie affairs, and 1t seems to me 1t is an ambition which every scientific man might we'll entertain, not only to be- come eminent in his profession, but also to devote portion of his more mature life to the study of the public welfare | and the active participation in those political relations of life which will en- lble him to become more useful to hu- | nanity.
 The average yield of wheat in the United States will be nearly twenty i've bushels per acre, and the average yield of other field crops be propor- .ionately greater than now.
 Diversified manufacturing industries will flourish in every part of the coun- ny, thus distributing population and agriculture The product if days labor will be double that of o-day, thanks to new processes, im- proved machinery and greater skill. af +Io .ff feo, oy,1 hn aborer will be greatly ameliorated, and he principles of the trust, which now lelp chiefly the capitalist, will be ex- ended to include the workingman as yell. The laborer will not only have a arger daily wage, but will also share n the legitimate profits of the business.
 The advancement of chemical science will not only make the fields more pro- uctive and more easily titled, but will lso teach how their products can be nore economically and easily con- umed Good roads will lead every ,here, and the horse be relegated to the nuseum and the stable of the sports nan. New sources of energy will take he place of coal and gas, and this en- rgy will come from the winds and the ains The sun directly and indirect 7 will monopolize the power of the ountry, working through evaporation nd precipitation and by means of lectricity or some more useful force
 By a general comprehension of the rinciples of nutrition, food will be lore wholesome and more potent, The eneral acceptance of the principles of ; ygiene will make the average life of , lan longer and his usefulness more 'uitful. Man will not only live longer, , ut he will be happier and practically zee from the threats of enzymic, con- ,gious and epidemic diseases.-Pro- ,ssor H. W. Wiley, United States De- artment of Agriculture, to the Ameri- , m Chemical Society.