Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-22

question of bookkeeping under the new
Hepburn law is Henry c. Adams, professor
of economics at the University OF Mlchi-
gan. | might add that one of the most i'm
portant divisions of, the last census was
placed in charge of Prof. wilcox, OF the
department of statistics and economies at
Cornell and that he gathered about him.
as assistants, a number of young univer-
sity-trained students of social science
Now Appreciated by Business Men.
"Wil there ever be a field for these spe-
cialists In the business world? Will the
practical heads of big corporations ever
discover need for them?'
They are doing so already. Here Is
striking instance. When the anthracite
coal operators proposed the appointment by
the President OF the commission to arbi-
trate with the miners they suggested five
groups of men from which the commission
was to be constituted. One of these was
composed of sociologists, and upon the op-
orators own initiative Sociologist was
appointed to the commission. 1t was rather
significant that such group of practical
business men should, of their own accord,
impose this qualification and specify that a
specialist in social science should aid In
arbitratirg a great Industrial dispute OF
that kind. And, again, in the recent arbl-
tration between the telegraphers and the
Southern Pacific Railway the third arbi-
traitor was a college professor and polit-
lead economist
There has been a demand for these spe-
cialsts also on some other large commits
sions. On the industrial commissions. ror
example, there was DIR. Durand Of Stan
ford and one of the special investigators
of trusts was Prof. jerks the economist OF
Cornell Again on the monetary commits
sion Prof. jerks appeared as member.
New Lines of Civic Reform.
along what lines of civic reform are
specialists in social science chiefly active
today?"
at Is due to the entrance into public life
OF men and women of this speciality that
there has been so much recent progress in
such directions as improved housing condi->
tons. model tenements. elimination of
slums and congested. alleys, establishment
of public baths and public Fairgrounds.
few years ago these problems had no place
in city politics, which was largely a ques-
ton of Office holding. But municipal prob
lens since having thus been made subjects
of research for our universities have been
elevated to a higher plane and have
brought the student and practical men to-
gether on common ground where they are
now cooperating for the highest kind OF
social progress.
The tenement house law In New York
is example of the practical work being
accompli shed by citizens interested in So
cial science Before this law was passed
more than two-thirds of New York's mil
lions lived in tenements which had $50. UOU
interior rooms and which usually provided
only one toilet room TO fifteen or twenty
families. Ii is now said that New York.
by her old tenements. is teaching her sister
cities how not to build and by her new
tenements is teaching them how to build
Municipal baths are results of the same
interest. An investigation made by this
bureau in 1893 showed the lack of facilities
for public bathing in the congested dis
tricts of most of our large cities But a re-
cent investigation by the bureau showed
that great progress has recently been made
and that in thirty-four of our cities there
are municipal public baths. Thirty-nlne of
these, provided with the shower or rain
baths. now esteemed as more sanitary than
any otheEA We're found to be developments