128 MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



among the possibilities of the near future; but the point I wish to make 

 here is that both the general government and the several States might 

 well establish and maintain experiment stations for the advancement 

 of exact knowledge on those sciences with which the every-day life of all 

 the people is so closely concerned, as, for instance, the sciences relating 

 to heat, light, electricity, sound, and locomotion. 



As regards locomotion, the crude modes by means of the more or less 

 perfect control of animals, is fast giving place to the bicycle, and to 

 electrical and other automobile methods, connected with which there are 

 many lines of investigation which might well be fostered by govern- 

 ments. 



THE SOCIAL SCIENCES. 



My plea for greater attention to the sciences is not restricted to the 

 physical sciences. When great numbers of strong men are unemployed 

 and their families suffer thereby, great wrongs are apparent; and gov- 

 ernments are not subserving the highest interests of the people unless 

 they take prompt and effective measures to search out the causes, and to 

 place them before the people. Possibly "experiment stations'' are not 

 adequate for the elucidation of such questions, although they may be for 

 some of them, but if the social sciences shall be carefully studied in the 

 churches, in the schools, in legislatures, and in every domain of human 

 activity, can there be a doubt that the welfare of every class of people will 

 be greatly enhanced? 



■The inauguration of systematic studies of these sciences is an impera- 

 tive duty of the churches, of the schools, of the legislatures, and of 

 all of us. 



THE SANITARY SCIENCES. 



One of the most important groups of sciences, thus far almost entirely 

 neglected by governments, so far as relates to effort for the advancement 

 of the sciences, is that group which collectively is known as sanitary 

 science. A few of the States have made small appropriations. Scarcely 

 anything has been done directly by the United States government, al- 

 though indirectly, by fostering the Bureau of Animal Industry, much 

 has been done for the welfare of the human race. The agricultural 

 experiment stations, for which the United States makes annual appro- 

 priations for every State, are, to a great extent, for the benefit of all 

 the people, but primarily they are for the benefit of a class only — the 

 agriculturalists; while progress in sanitary science is primarily and 

 finally for the benefit of every person, therefore, why should not congress 

 appropriate money to establish, in every State, sanitary science experi- 

 ment stations? A bill was prepared for this, which congress was asked 

 to pass, but did not. I believe that this is a proposition on which the 

 people themselves would do well to act, by petitioning congress to take 

 such action, and the State legislature to foster a sanitary science experi- 

 ment station as it now fosters the one for the agricultural sciences. 



The State of Michigan maintains one school for the teaching of science, 

 the State Mining School at Houghton; and several branches of science 

 are taught at the State Agricultural College, at the University, and at 

 this State Normal College; but, although there have been small appro- 



