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SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. VIII. No. 192, 



its relation to humauity; if its first effect 

 is to enlarge our minds and give us a wider 

 power of interpretation of nature, to har- 

 ness more effectually the forces of the great 

 mother, and to save labor, it has no less 

 surely its social and its intellectual side. 

 First is to be considered the economical 

 possibilities, which mean easier living with 

 infinite improvements in the art of living, 

 and after it comes the advancement of all 

 humanity and the more complete progress 

 which must accompany social uplifting. 

 We are endeavoring in a partial and in- 

 complete way to apply some of the prin- 

 ciples of science to the practical benefits 

 of the one-half million people within the 

 limits of this municipality. I am proud 

 to say that we give a high place in every- 

 day work to men of science who are giving 

 technical application to the principles which 

 have come to light through the investiga- 

 tions of abstract science. Work in the 

 future will demand a fuller employment of 

 men of science. I am proud to say that we 

 are commanding the interest and the ser- 

 vices and the hearty cooperation, without 

 price and without regard, of men who are 

 endeavoring to give in some measure a 

 practical social science, and, while this 

 may be a far less exact science that many 

 others, I firmly believe that there is a so- 

 cial science and a political science, and 

 that the domains which come within its 

 knowledge are constantly widening, both as 

 regards the body social and its evolution 

 and the body pohtic and how to secure its 

 best application. I heartily congratulate 

 the American Association and welcome it 

 back, after fifty years, to the scene of its 

 birth, and extend thanks and welcome, on 

 behalf of the city of Boston, to each and 

 every one of its members, in view of this 

 meeting here and the work which the Asso- 

 ciation is yet to do in the first half of the 

 century to come. 



President Ci-afts, of the Massachusetts 



Institute of Technology, followed Mayor 

 Quincy, and made a most interesting ad- 

 dress, which is printed in full below. 



President Putnam, on being introduced 

 by the retiring President was heartily 

 cheered, all recognizing that his sei-vices as 

 Permanent Secretary for twenty-five years 

 had been the chief factor in the great 

 growth and success of the Association, 

 while his own contributions to science had 

 given him a dotible claim to the highest 

 office in the gift of the Association at this 

 anniversary meeting. President Putnam 

 made an address which it is hoped may be 

 subsequently pubhshed in this Journal. 



M. Charnay, the official delegate from 

 the French government, was introduced 

 and spoke briefly in French. A message 

 was also read from the Eussian Geological 

 Committee of St. Petersburg sending con- 

 gratulations and good wishes. After listen- 

 ing to announcements of the Local Commit- 

 tee the session adjourned. 



In the afternoon the Vice-Presidents gave 

 their addresses before the different Sections 

 as follows : 



Section A. Mathematics and Astronomy: Develop- 

 ment of Astronomical Photography; Vice-President 

 Barnard. 



Section B. Physics: On the Perception of Light and 

 Color; Vice-President Whitman. 



Section C. Chemistry : The Electric Current in Or- 

 ganic Chemistry ; Vice-President Smith. 



Section E. Geology and Geography : Glacial Geol- 

 ogy in America ; Vice-President Fairchild. 



Section F. Zoology : A Half-century of Evolution, 

 with Special Reference to the Effects of Geological 

 Changes on Animal Life ; Vice-President Packard. 



Section G. Botany : The Conception of Species as 

 Affected by Recent Investigations on Fungi ; Vice- 

 President Farlow. 



Section H. Anthropology : The Advance of Psy- 

 chology ; Vice-President Cattell. 



Section I. Economic Science and Statistics : The 

 Historic Method in Economics ; Vice-President Blue. 



Vice-President Cooley, of Section D, Me- 

 chanical Science and Engineering, having 

 been detailed to active service in the navy 



