LA PLAY'S STUDIES IN SOCIAL PHENOMENA. 791 



Academy conferred upon him the Monthyon prize for statistics, and 

 at the suggestion of the Academy there was founded the Societe In- 

 ternationale des Etudes Pratiques d'ficonomie Sociale (International 

 Society for Practical Studies in Social Economy). The first article of 

 the statutes of this society declares that its especial purpose is "to 

 determine by the direct observation of facts the physical and moral 

 condition, in all countries, of those engaged in manual labor, and their 

 relations to each other and to those in other classes." The society is 

 to offer prizes to members or outsiders for the preparation of mono- 

 graphs of special value. Before acceptance all papers or reports are 

 discussed by the society, but the regulations forbid the discussion of 

 any theory not based on observed facts ; any one violating this rule 

 may be called to order by the president. 



In this organization have gathered all those specially interested in 

 the work of social investigation as planned by Le Play, and from it 

 have radiated the various lines of influence along which the work has 

 been prosecuted. Its founder began in cold blood the writing of a 

 library, and the society has carried forward this work most energetic- 

 ally. They have published already five volumes of monographs, and 

 that the series is not intended to be soon finished is shown by the title 

 "Les Ouvriers des Deux Moncles" ("The Laborers of Two Worlds"). 

 Another series of publications, "Bulletins des Seances," has reached 

 the eighth volume, and the miscellaneous publications of the individual 

 members are numerous. French consuls, interested in the work, have 

 carried it forward in the remotest parts of the earth. One mono- 

 graph of the series describes a Chinese peasant community of Ning- 

 po-fou ; and the last volume contains an interesting monograph pre- 

 pared by M. Gauldre-Boileau, the French consul-general at New 

 York, picturing a family of French peasants of Sainte-Irenee, in Lower 

 Canada. As early as 1870 the reports of their discussions contain a 

 consideration of the customs of the Chinese and their emigration to 

 California. 



In 1872 Les Unions de la Paix Sociale were founded, an organiza- 

 tion intended to be far-reaching and calculated as well for propaganda 

 as for study. Each union is located wherever there may be a group 

 of persons interested in Le Play's theories or methods ; local investi- 

 gations are undertaken, questions pertaining to their work discussed, 

 and through a " correspondent " intimate relations are maintained 

 with the district unions and the central union at Paris. The central 

 union dines monthly, and listens to a synopsis of the month's corre- 

 spondence. The membership of the organizations has aggregated as 

 many as thirty-five hundred persons. "La Reforme Sociale," a semi- 

 monthly review, serves as organ for both the unions and the Societe 

 d'Economie Sociale.* 



* In 18S5 a disagreement occurred between the leaders, and Dcmolins, a prominent 

 lecturer, for some time the editor of " La Reforme Sociale," withdrew in company with 



