912 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIV. No. 363. 



utilities of cities. A few of the Western 

 states have already recognized this, and 

 have incorporated in their constitution 

 the doctrine of perpetual state ownership 

 of water. 



The benefits which have followed the un- 

 aided development of the past justify the 

 nation's aid and cooperation in the more 

 difficult and important work yet to be ac- 

 complished. Laws so vitally affecting 

 homes as those which control the water 

 supply will only be effective when they 

 have the sanction of the irrigators ; reforms 

 can only be final and satisfactory when they 

 come through the enlightenment of the 

 people most concerned. The larger devel- 

 opment which national aid insures should, 

 however, awaken in every arid state the 

 determination to make its irrigation system 

 equal in justice and effectiveness that of 

 any country in the civilized world. Nothing 

 could be more unwise than for isolated 

 communities to continue to learn everything 

 experimentally, instead of profiting by what 

 is already known elsewhere. We are deal- 

 ing with a new and momentous question, in 

 the pregnant years while institutions are 

 forming, and what we do will affect not 

 only the present, but future generations. 



Our aim should be not simply to reclaim 

 the largest area of land and provide homes 

 for the largest number of people, but to 

 create for this new industry the best pos- 

 sible social and industrial conditions ; and 

 this requires that we not only understand 

 the existing situation, but avail ourselves 

 of the best experience of the time in the so- 

 lution of its problems. A careful study 

 should be made, both by the nation and the 

 States, of the irrigation laws and conditions 

 here and abroad. Ultimately it will prob- 

 ably be necessary for the nation to cooper- 

 ate with the several arid states in propor- 

 tion as these states by their legislation and 

 administration show themselves fit to re- 

 ceive it. 



AMERICAN ASSOCIA TION FOB THE AD VANCE- 

 MENT OF SCIENCE. 



SECTION I, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SCIENCE. 



Officers for the Denver meeting were : 

 Vice-President, John Hyde ; Secretary, Ray- 

 mond A. Pearson ; Member of Council, E. T. 

 Peters ; Sectional Committee, C. M. Wood- 

 ward, H. T. Newcomb, John Hyde, R. A. 

 Pearson, Marcus Benjamin, F. E,. E,utter 

 and L. F. Schmeckebier ; Member of the Gen- 

 eral Committee, F. H. Hitchcock. 



Nine meetings were held and at each a 

 full program was presented. Unusual in- 

 terest in some papers was shown by the 

 discussions. The average attendance was 

 probably the largest in the history of the 

 Section. The majority of papers treated of 

 subjects which are of special interest in the 

 West — one entire day, including an evening 

 session, being given to the consideration of 

 the economic and social aspects of irrigation. 



The vice-presidential address of Professor 

 C. M. Woodward, ' The Change of Front in 

 Education,' was published in full in a re- 

 cent number of Science. Other papers 

 were as follows : 



' Scientific Men of Colorado ' : Dr. Mar- 

 cus Benjamin, Washington, D. C. 



This paper had for its purpose the pres- 

 entation to the Section of the records of 

 various scientific men of Colorado, and con- 

 sisted chiefly of summaries of the excellent 

 work done by the graduates of the Scientific 

 Department of Columbia University, for- 

 merl}'- known as the School of Mines, 

 towards the development of the mineral 

 resources of Colorado, as well as of the im- 

 proved methods in metallurgical science in- 

 vented by them. The sketches were some 

 twenty in number and included the careers 

 of such men as M. W. lies, M. C. Ihlseny, 

 W. B. Devereux, H. V. Furman and 

 Richard Pearce. Brief mention was also 

 made of such scientists as the late Senator 

 ]Sr. P. Hill, who was referred to as the only 

 chemist ever elected to the United States 



