the reports of the American Historical Association must be numbered among the contributions of the government to social science.
The question might be asked; "What is the value of this vast storehouse of information contributed by the various departments of the Federal Government?" To my mind it is of inestimable value, and as a rule the information is trustworthy. Care is taken to secure only that information which has a positive bearing upon the current problems of the times, and the men engaged in the collection of the information are almost invariably so thoroughly interested in the ascertainment of the truth that their work is free from bias and may be accepted by the scientist as worthy of his use.
From the categorical statements that have been made it must be concluded that the Federal Government has been most generous in its contributions to social science, and that its study could not be carried on without such contributions. The efforts of private individuals, the results of personal observation, and the collection of facts by travelers and students, all valuable as they are, are entirely inadequate for the discussion of the great social problems of the day. Social science deals with the vital interests and relations of the people themselves. Can government do better than to make its contributions in the future, not simply as generous, as emphatic and as far-reaching as those in the past, but still more scientific and still more comprehensive?
Department of Labor,
Washington, D. C.
