New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-13
PROF. v. G. SUMNER DEAD
Expires at Home of His Son
Graham, in EngIeWoOd.
IRy Telegraph to The Tribune. ]


this afternoon from apoplexy- He was
stricken in New York City on December
%. when he went there to address she
American Sociological Society OF which &c
was president When he was attacked with
cerebral hemorrhage in New York he was
taken to his apartments in the Murray I'LL
Hotel. He seemed somewhat improved an
M was removed to this place on Janu-
airy 2s.
Last week his condition showed relapse
asnd his relatives FASTENED to his bedside
He revived from the attack and was seem
irgly out of danger. when his heart became
affected and death finally caem this after
noon. With him at the time were his wife
aand his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Elliott sum
ner.
The body will be taken to New Haven 20
morrow morning and the funeral will he
held there probably on Thursday. The
burial will be in Guilford, Conn.
Professor Sumner was the first American
professor TO offer course in social science.
He was the organizer of a group of studies
now given at Yale known as social sci
ence" studies. He was the author of q
large number Of works on the subject, and
no American professor had exeTted wider
influence in it,
For thirty-seven years Professor Sumner
had been professor of political science in
Yale University. He retired in 1908 as pro
fessor emeritus, at the age OF sixty-riHa,
and, announcing this in his annual report
at the time President Hadley said:
Professor Sumner is one OF those rare
men who We're born with a genius for
teaching. NO man who has ever been in
his classes will forget his extraordinary
clearness cr statement his incisive anal
ysis. and his power of illustrating con-
cretely to the student the ideas which he
wanted to convey
Born in Paterson v T.. Mr.. Sumner was
son of Thomas and Sarah Graham sum
ner. and was of English descent He re-
ceived his early education in the public
schools at Hartford. Conn. Later he at
tended Yale. and was graduated from that
institution with the class Of 81. Going
abroad he studied at the universities Of
G0ttingen, Germany, and oxford. England.
on his return TO this country in 1885, he
was engaged as tutor in Yale College. re-
naming until 1869. Meanwhile he took or
ders in the Protestant Episcopal Church.
and for a short time he was at Calvary
Church, i'm New York. In 1870 he was
called 10 the rectorship of the Church Of
the Redeemer, Morristown, y. j., and re-
manned there for two years
In 1872 he was called to Yale as professor
of political and social science. and had
occupied that chair continuously up to the
time OF his retirement. Professor Sumner
was an earnest advocate of the sO-caIled
laissez faire principle in political economy.
He favored the gold standard in currency
and free trade and did much to promote
liberal methods of instruction in his de-
partment.
At one time Professor Sumner had been
very active in public affairs and from 1913
to 1876 served as a member of the New
Haven Board of Aldermen He was espe-
ciaIly prominent as an advocate Of free
trade and an upholder Of the gold stand
ard.
Eleven years ago Professor Sumner i'm a
lecture to the senior class at Yale provoked
a storm of criticism by stating that in his
belief fully ~ per cent of the marriages OF
the day turned out Unhappily; that mar
rage had become not matter of love. but
more a matter Of course. and that many
young men did not wait to find an IDEAL
but thought il the right thing to marry
when they reached certain age.
In the strictest sense" Professor Sum
ner said. marriage is an ideal that has
never been realized. Vicissitudes act or
and change the married pair. We socioIo-
gists hold the marriage ceremony is not
marriage; the marriage ceremony is ar
afterthought. 1t was not adopted until the
sixteenth century,
Among those who challenged Professor
Summers declaration at the time was Dr.
Eliot then president of Harvard.
Professor Sumner translated Lange's
Commentary on the Second Book OF
Kings QS72). and he was the author of A
History of American Currency $50
Lectures on the History of Protection in
the United States" GsTJl. Life of Andrew
Jackson OSS2), What Social Glasses owe
to Each other OSS3). "Protectionism
QSS5), Collected Essays on Social and PO-
litical Science" 0SS5). Life Of Alexander
Hamilton" OS9D. Life of Robert Morris.
The Financier and Finances of the Revo-
luton and a History of Banking in the
United States" He had also been a fire.
quent contributor to various periodicals.
In the class book published by Yale *
Professor Sumner wrote part OF his career
as follows:
In 1876 was one Of the visiting states
men who were sent to New Orleans 70 md
out what kind Of an election they had in
Louisiana that year. This is the whole OF
my experience in politics. | found out that
was more likely 10 do more harm in poll
tics than almost any other kind Of man be-
cause l did not understand the rules Of the
game. and did not want To learn them.
Therefore the adopts at it could play with
me in more ways than one"
He married in 1871 Jennie Whittemore 81
lott. daughter of Henry VI. Elliott of New
York City. She with two sons. Elliott and
Graham Sumner, survive him
CID POPEPT HIEEEM